A leading Bulgarian private TV channel, bTV, on Monday said it was firing a prominent political talk show host, Maria Tsantsarova, sparking protests. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Bulgarian affiliate AEJ-Bulgaria in denouncing this act of censorship, and demands the immediate reinstatement of the journalist and the opening of an investigation into the alleged political pressure exerted on bTV.
Tsantsarova, known for her tough questioning and high-profile investigations, confirmed on Monday in a Facebook post that she had been removed from the programme, contradicting a statement issued by bTV on Friday. The broadcaster denied any allegations regarding the removal of Tsantsarova and her colleague Zlatimir Yochev, describing them as false. The media company, part of the Czech-owned investment group PPF, said it was in “active talks about the development of programme content for the coming year,” allegedly “with active participation” of the journalist.
On Monday, bTV channel said in a more detailed statement that it was firing host Maria Tsantsarova, accusing her of repeatedly violating internal editorial rules and saying it did not tolerate “political activism”. “The media outlet will not bow to external pressure and has initiated proceedings to terminate its relationship with her,” a spokeswoman told AFP.
Following an appeal by the EFJ’s Bulgarian affiliate AEJ-Bulgaria, hundreds demonstrated outside the TV station in solidarity with Tsantsarova on Friday. “We are concerned about the risk of yet another ’emptying of chairs’ — the removal of critical voices — from Bulgaria’s national airwaves,” the AEJ-Bulgaria said in a statement. One of bTV’s top investigative reporters, Stoyan Georgiev, announced his resignation from the media company and declared his full support for Maria Tsantsarova.
Over the past several years, Tsantsarova has been the target of repeated attacks by political figures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was also pressured by law enforcement authorities to reveal her sources for a major investigative report. Her removal comes at a time of unprecedented civil protests that led to the conservative-led government’s collapse on 11 December. Bulgaria has since entered a new phase of political instability and is heading toward early parliamentary elections in the coming months.
“Taking a leading independent journalist off air amid widespread social unrest raises serious concerns about political interference in Bulgarian media,” said EFJ President Maja Sever. “We demand the immediate reinstatement of the journalist and the opening of an investigation into the alleged political pressure exerted on bTV. Bulgarian citizens have the right to access information that is free and independent of political pressure”.
AEJ-Bulgaria’s latest press freedom survey, published in 2024, reported a record increase in political pressure on journalists. A staggering 77% of respondents identified political interference as the most widespread source of pressure in Bulgarian media.
Source: N1
