October 27, 2024 - Bulgaria, Sofia

In the days leading up to Bulgaria’s snap parliamentary elections on October 27, prominent television journalist Maria Tsantsarova has faced an escalating wave of attacks from political figures in Bulgaria. Tsantsarova, renowned for her incisive questioning, has become the target of verbal assaults and derogatory comments by leaders of the radical pro-Russian party Vazrazhdane and the populist party There Is Such a People (ITN).

The smear campaign against Tsantsarova began with Vazrazhdane’s leader, Kostadin Kostadinov, who labeled her a “liar” and refused to engage with her questions during a television appearance on BTV. Following the interview, Kostadinov escalated his attacks on social media, derogatorily calling Tsantsarova a “transvestite,” an insult widely perceived as both discriminatory and defamatory. In response, BTV publicly supported Tsantsarova, standing by her journalistic integrity and her right to pose critical questions.

The confrontation continued with Slavi Trifonov, ITN leader and a former talk show host, who criticized Tsantsarova’s approach in an interview with his party candidate Stanislav Balabanov on BTV’s morning show. During the interview, Balabanov reacted with hostility to Tsantsarova’s probing questions, suggesting she “resembled” Kiril Petkov, a former prime minister and political adversary of ITN. Tsantsarova’s sharp retort, comparing Balabanov to the controversial politician Delyan Peevski—who has been sanctioned by the United States for corruption—further ignited ITN’s ire. Trifonov then accused Tsantsarova of being “unprofessional” and claimed her questions were “humiliating” and “tendentious,” subsequently announcing that ITN representatives would no longer appear on BTV’s morning show.

This backlash against Tsantsarova highlights the increasing pressure and hostility Bulgarian journalists face when challenging political figures. Tsantsarova has previously been targeted by Vazrazhdane after exposing that some of their MPs, who publicly denounced COVID-19 vaccinations, had themselves been vaccinated—a report that incited long-term animosity from the party.

The derogatory remarks directed at Bulgarian journalist Maria Tsantsarova by political leaders Kostadin Kostadinov and Slavi Trifonov signal a troubling trend of media intimidation and the normalization of sexist and transphobic slurs as a political tool. Such attacks not only jeopardize Tsantsarova’s safety but also create a chilling effect, deterring other journalists from holding powerful figures accountable. This case underscores the urgent need for stronger protections for journalists and increased international scrutiny of press freedom in Bulgaria.

Women Press Freedom calls on international press freedom organizations to publicly condemn these attacks and demand accountability from Bulgarian political leaders. Bulgarian authorities and media companies must strengthen policies to protect journalists, especially women, from gendered insults and online harassment. Furthermore, Bulgaria’s media landscape requires ongoing reform to safeguard journalists from political retaliation, ensuring that recent progress in press freedom is not undermined.