Sofia, Burgas remain in race to host Eurovision 2027
Representatives of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) visited Sofia and inspected the National Palace of Culture convention centre (NDK) as part of the selection process for the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, Culture Minister of Bulgaria Evtim Miloshev said in an interview on bTV.
He added that the delegation is also due to visit the coastal city of Burgas, as the two cities remain in contention to host the event, CE Report quotes BTA.
It was announced on Monday that the Bulgarian cities of Plovdiv and Varna have been eliminated from the competition to host Eurovision, leaving Sofia and Burgas in the race.
"The state has already taken the first two very important steps. A coordinating body has been established to support the organization at the ministerial level. The Ministry of Culture has received the transfer of EUR 20 million for Eurovision. Only Sofia and Burgas remain in the race. As part of Sofia's bid, representatives of the European Broadcasting Union inspected the National Palace of Culture. A similar inspection will follow in Burgas," Miloshev said on bTV.
The host city must meet numerous requirements, including having a suitable venue, adequate infrastructure, sufficient hotel capacity, and international transport connections.
The final decision on the host city will be made by an international panel comprising representatives of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), the European Broadcasting Union, and professionals who have worked on the Eurovision Song Contest over the past 15 years. The decision is expected by the end of July.
Minister Miloshev noted that the new management of the National Palace of Culture was officially registered in the Commercial Register on Monday and that employees' salaries had been paid. In early June, he announced that financial irregularities had been uncovered at the NDK and revealed that the salary of the venue's then Executive Director, Andriyana Petkova Tatarova, was several times higher than that of Bulgaria's head of State. At the end of June, she was removed from the NDK Board of Directors and her management contract was terminated.
"The salaries of the new Board of Directors will return to normal levels. At the Council of Ministers we are already considering introducing a salary cap for public enterprises. A decision is forthcoming on both the cap itself and the methodology for calculating remuneration. This is important from the perspective of the public interest," Miloshev said.
He recalled that the National Palace of Culture is a public company with assets worth approximately EUR 500 million.
"Yet the company has been accumulating losses every year. This process began in 2014. Every year its equity has fallen below its registered capital, and the losses have continued to grow. They have now exceeded EUR 50 million," the Culture Minister added.
Speaking about the National Cultural Calendar, one of his key priorities, Miloshev said the issue has been on his agenda since his first day in office and continues to generate significant public interest. He recalled that two previous governments had adopted Council of Ministers decisions approving events under the Calendar. Although support had been pledged and contracts signed, no financial resources had been secured to implement them, he said.
"We have already paid nearly EUR 1.8 million for 20 projects under the National Cultural Calendar, and today I will seek Cabinet approval for an additional EUR 1.9 million to finance another 28 projects," he announced.
The Minister added that discussions with the Ministry of Finance would continue to secure funding for the remaining events scheduled through the end of the year.
During the interview, Miloshev also spoke about ongoing inspections concerning property-related issues. One investigation involves property managed by Film Studio Vreme Ltd., a company under the Ministry of Culture.
"The director of Film Studio Vreme came to me and said that a hotel owned by the company needed to be leased. We organized a tender. Three companies submitted bids. The third company won because the first two withdrew. It turned out to be a classic 'mother, father and son' arrangement. The first company belonged to the son, the second to the mother, and the third to the father. The father was also acting as the son's authorized representative and submitted the highest bid. The mother and the son then withdrew in the father's favour in this sealed-bid tender. That is the reality," Minister Miloshev said.
He added that other inspections are also under way.
"We are also examining another state-owned company, Orfey [Orpheus]. Around 400 decares of the company's property assets are missing. They are simply gone. Where are they? That is the question I am asking. The land is located in the highly attractive Boyana district. It is a mystery. An internal investigation is under way," Miloshev said.
Photo: Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
