site.btaHow Much Parties Spent in First 10 Days of Election Campaign - Analysis

An analysis by the Institute for Public Environment Development (IDED) shows that ten days after the start of the election campaign the signed contracts between the political formations and the media amounted to a total of BGN 1,255,230 (excluding VAT). By comparison, two days before the end of the campaign in November 2021, the parties had allocated BGN 1,759,585 (excluding VAT) to the media.

Some political formations are entitled to state funding in the form of media packages. The amount of this aid ranges from BGN 5,000 to BGN 40,000 and it is granted for access to media advertising. The political entities themselves choose where to advertise. Their contracts are approved by the Central Election Commission (CEC), which transfers the funds directly to the media outlet. For the current campaign, a decision of the CEC has identified 17 parties, three coalitions and two initiative committees to which the total amount of BGN 770,000 for media packages will be allocated.

The IDED analysts point out that media advertising is the main expenditure item in campaigns, and for the November 2021 parliamentary elections it accounted for 70% of all spending by political parties.

Ten days after the start of the campaign, seven formations and two initiative committees have not announced contracts with the media monitored, the IDED points out.

The largest amount for media was allocated by GERB - BGN 255,000. They are followed by BSP for Bulgaria with BGN 242,000 and Continue the Change with BGN 147,000. This means that the three coalitions account for about 50% of all the funds invested so far in media advertising. Vazrazhdane has spent BGN 118,600, MRF - BGN 86,116. Rise Up Bulgaria has spent BGN 48,940, Bulgarian National Union ND - BGN 33,320, Coalition for You Bulgaria have spent BGN 33,320 and Direct Democracy - BGN 33,290. The Movement of Non-Party Candidates allocated BGN 32,063, the Bulgarian Union for Direct Democracy - BGN 31,658. Democratic Bulgaria have provided BGN 27,577 for media and Pravoto - BGN 22,000. The NFSB has allocated BGN 20,998, MIR has spent BGN 20,000 and TISP - BGN 18,100. KOD have provided BGN 17,896, Bulgarian Rise - BGN 17,530, Ataka - BGN 12,500 and VMRO - BGN 3,886.

The media with the most revenues after the first 10 days of the campaign are BNT with BGN 248,000, followed by Eurocom with BGN 246,000 and Standard News daily with BGN 200,000. The two big private TV channels in the country - bTV and Nova - rank 7th and 8th, followed by the newspapers 24 Chasa, Trud and the website Epicenter.bg.