Balgarianovinite.com Protesters gathered outside the bTV building in solidarity with bTV presenters Maria Tsantsarova and Zlatimir Yochev on Friday.
The demonstration was organized by the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria) under the slogan “This is the last straw; we’ve had enough.”
The rally followed information circulated earlier on Friday that Tsantsarova, and likely her colleague Yochev, had been removed as hosts of the television station’s morning programme.
Tsantsarova has been the target of political attacks for years, and AEJ-Bulgaria has repeatedly defended her. For months, tabloid media have been running a campaign against her, including by spreading claims that she would be taken off air. We are concerned about the risk of yet another purge of critical voices from Bulgaria’s national airwaves, said AEJ in a statement published earlier on Friday.
AEJ urged bTV’s management to take a reasonable decision that does not run counter to the public interest and legislation protecting freedom of speech.
“We also remind that Bulgaria must fulfil its obligations under the European Media Freedom Act, which protects media outlets, public and private alike, from political interference. Unfortunately, what is happening with Maria creates precisely that impression: yet another heavy-handed act of political pressure against independent journalism in Bulgaria. We call on colleagues in bTV’s newsroom and across the media sector, as well as on Bulgarian citizens who care about the country’s democratic processes, to join us and show solidarity with the hosts,” AEJ added.
In late September 2025, an international fact-finding mission by press-freedom organizations visited Sofia and concluded that Bulgaria remains among the EU countries with the most serious media-freedom deficits. Speaking at a news conference at the BTA National Press Club, AEJ-Bulgaria’s Irina Nedeva said journalists were increasingly being denied interviews and answers to critical questions, and were facing delays and hostility when seeking information. BTA has also reported that Bulgaria fell from 59th to 70th place in the Reporters Without Borders media-freedom index, with the RSF assessment pointing to persistent intimidation of journalists, risks to editorial independence in both public and private media, and pressure through SLAPP cases. bTV Shake-Up Sparks Protest Over Morning Show Hosts Tsantsarova, Yochev 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-12-19 19:47:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law