Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has said his government has evidence of Russian hybrid attacks on the country, with disinformation campaigns playing a central role. These have focused in particular on Bulgaria’s planned accession to the Eurozone, while other efforts have targeted the Bulgarian community in Taraclia, southern Moldova, where propaganda has revolved around the language issue.
Zhelyazkov said the aim is to undermine public confidence in Bulgaria’s commitment to full EU and NATO membership, as well as in Moldova’s pro-European direction. One of the most effective ways to counter such campaigns, he argued, is through education. In Taraclia, for example, plans are underway to promote the study of Bulgarian language and culture, alongside a programme that would bring 300–400 children from the city to Bulgaria to learn more about their historical homeland.
Speaking to The Ukrainian Week, Rumena Filipova, head of the Institute for Global Analytics in Bulgaria—whose research focuses on politics and international relations in Central and Eastern Europe, with particular attention to media, disinformation, and authoritarian influence from Russia and China—said the disinformation campaign against the euro began well before the European Council’s decision in July 2025 to give Bulgaria the “green light” for Eurozone membership.
“Years of relentless propaganda have painted the euro as an assault on Bulgaria’s sovereignty and a fast track to national impoverishment,” says Rumena Filipova.
“Successive governments have promised to counter Russian disinformation, yet their strategic communications have often been patchy and low-profile. It was only in recent months—after turmoil stirred by pro-Russian forces and Moscow-leaning factions, which came close to forcing a referendum on Eurozone membership—that the government stepped up with a more visible public information campaign.”
One of the clearest examples of attempts to curb Russian influence in Bulgarian politics is an investigation led by Atanas Atanasov, head of the parliamentary committee overseeing the security services, into Russian intelligence activity near strategically important sites, allegedly with the help of the Russian embassy.
Meanwhile, the “We Continue the Change”–“Democratic Bulgaria” coalition successfully pushed through a parliamentary declaration condemning Russia’s war against Ukraine, denouncing political repression within Russia, and calling for faster reforms in the security sector. Backed by 112 members of the National Assembly, the declaration commits Bulgaria to working closely with the EU on sanctions against Russia, providing military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, carrying out domestic reforms to counter Russian influence, modernising its armed forces, and nationalising strategic sites on Bulgarian soil currently held by Russia.
“This statement reflects the broader course of EU policy in support of Ukraine,” says Rumena Filipova. “But parliamentary declarations only carry weight if they are matched by concrete action from the institutions responsible. In Bulgaria, a range of actors—political parties in parliament, business figures, and media outlets—continue to amplify and advance pro-Kremlin narratives.”
Filipova notes that pro-Russian sentiment in Bulgaria runs deep, fed by decades of historical propaganda from Moscow. This distorts Bulgaria’s past and national identity, fostering the image of Russia as a “saviour,” a “Slavic brother” and a “liberator” to whom Sofia supposedly owes “eternal gratitude.”
“Those narratives seep into Bulgarian school history textbooks, where critical accounts of Russia’s often damaging role in the country’s past are frequently watered down or removed altogether,” Rumena Filipova told The Ukrainian Week. “That also colours attitudes towards Ukraine — since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, there have been stark divides in public opinion. Around 40% hold Moscow responsible for the war, while a similar share blame Kyiv.”
How the Bulgarian government responds — both to the newly adopted declaration and to wider efforts to push back against Russian influence — will be crucial. The outcome could either strengthen pro-European forces or fuel a fresh wave of political confrontation.
