The first visit to Brussels of Bulgaria’s newly elected President Rumen Radev is among the highlights in today’s papers. Under the headline “Spartan or Airbus… that is not the problem”, Dnevnik writes: “Facebook bristling – President Radev is leaving on his first visit on board a Spartan military transport aircraft instead of the government Airbus. The president says he wants to economize.” And concludes: “The commotion is drawing attention away from what really matters – the president is to hold talks at a summit level – at the EU as well as NATO – and the important thing is what he will say, not his ride.” The 24 Chassa carries a headline: “In Brussels, President Radev calls for revision of Dublin Regulation”. In his words it carries the risk of turning the countries in the EU periphery, among them Bulgaria, into a buffer zone for migrants entering Europe. 

Standard newspaper quotes the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker as saying, after his meeting with Rumen Radev: “We need a lady as Bulgaria's Euro commissioner. We have enough guys here.” Juncker agreed with Radev’s proposal for Bulgaria to nominate a commissioner after the election on 26 March, Standard writes and lays emphasis on his words that The positions of the EC and of Bulgaria on the sanctions against Russia do not differ and the common decision is still valid.”
Trud also highlights the fact that the EC understands and accepts Bulgaria’s wish to decide for itself when to make the choice of nomination for Bulgarian European commissioner. And adds Juncker’s words that he welcomes the efforts Bulgaria has been making concerning the cooperation and verification mechanism. The EC President confirmed that he expects this mechanism to be dropped by the end of the current mandate of the EC, Trud writes further.
“Tusk promises Radev help in securing the country’s border,” reads a headline carried by Duma. The paper quotes Rumen Radev as saying that he had raised the question of security along Bulgaria’s borders, which is an external border for the EU, in all of its aspects. “We have full understanding of the issues facing us. We expect even bigger help. Mr. Tusk expects more detailed information about Bulgaria's needs in this department,” Rumen Radev said after the meeting, Duma writes.
Capital Daily carries a headline “Rumen Radev shelves issue of sanctions against Russia”. The sanctions are not on the agenda at the moment, Radev said after his meeting with Donald Tusk. According to the Bulgarian President, the unity of the EU and economic and social security are more important issues. Such a statement was only to be expected as Radev supports the lifting of sanctions against Russia, a controversial opinion he upheld while he was on the campaign trail, the paper writes.

“PM and his deputies appoint army of advisors,” reads a headline carried by Sega newspaper. Without much of an explanation or sound arguments to back this decision, the caretaker cabinet of Ognyan Gerdzhikov paved the way for the appointment of a total of 42 advisors, experts and technical assistants to assist him and his four deputy prime ministers, the paper writes.

“Dirty air is poisoning Sofia and Plovdiv,” Trud writes. According to data of the Executive Environment Agency, in recent days particulate matter levels in several regions of the two cities have exceeded admissible levels five times.

Compiled by Atanas Tsenov

English version: Milena Daynova