34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?

Art.178. "(1) The State shall provide financial resources for media packages in the amount of BGN 40,000 to the parties and coalitions which have registered candidates upon elections of President and Vice President of the Republic and of Members of the European Parliament for the Republic of Bulgaria and in all constituencies upon elections of National Representatives and which are not entitled to State subsidy under the Political Parties Act. Any coalition in which parties entitled to State subsidy according to the procedure established by the Political Parties Act participate shall be provided with financial resources for media packages in an amount proportionate to the share of the parties participating in the coalition which are not entitled to State subsidy.

(2) The State shall provide financial resources for media packages in the amount of BGN 40,000 to the nomination committees which have registered candidates upon elections of President and Vice President of the Republic and in the amount of BGN 5,000 to the nomination committees which have registered candidates upon elections of Members of the European Parliament for the Republic of Bulgaria and upon elections of National Representatives.

(3) The resources for the media packages referred to in Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be for the account of the State budget and shall be used to pay for the different paid forms of coverage of the election campaign through the media service providers."

Art. 193. "(1) The election campaign in the programme services of the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio shall open and close with spots of the parties, coalitions and nomination committees of a length not exceeding 40 seconds, which shall be transmitted at no charge.

(2) Upon elections of President and Vice President of the Republic, the election campaign in the programme services of the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio shall open and close with messages by the pairs of candidates of a length not exceeding 3 minutes for each of the said pairs, which shall not be paid for.

(3) Upon conduct of a new election of President and Vice President of the Republic in the cases referred to in Article 93 (4) of the Constitution, the candidates shall have the right to broadcast messages not longer than 10 minutes in the programme services of the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio on the last day of the election campaign between the two rounds, in an order determined by lots according to a procedure established by the Central Election Commission. The addresses shall not be paid for."

Art. 195. "(1) The Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio shall allot air time to the parties, coalitions and nomination committees which have registered candidates for debates at no charge on topics coordinated in advance of a length aggregating not less than 240 minutes. ...

(3) Upon conduct of a new election of President and Vice President of the Republic in the cases referred to in Article 93 (4) of the Constitution, in the period between the two rounds, by mutual agreement the candidates may hold a debate at no charge of a length of not less than 60 minutes within the appointed transmission time on the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio. The debate shall take place according to the procedure established by this Section."

Source: Articles 178 (1-3),193 (1-3) and 195 (1 and 3), The Election Code, 2014

Only political parties which are not entitled to State subsidy under the Political Parties Act can get free access to media.