Media freedom further deteriorated in Bulgaria. Journalists and independent media outlets reporting on organized crime, corruption or minority rights faced persistent threats and were frequently victims of abusive litigation by public officials and business people, Amnesty International said in its 2022/2023 report on the state of the word’s human rights. Major media outlets continued to be controlled by politicians and oligarchs. According to the report, self-censorship has also increased.

Rights organizations reported continuing discriminatory practices in the asylum system, with applications by nationals of certain countries, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Morocco and Tunisia, being automatically rejected, Amnesty International said. The authorities failed to take steps to develop a national strategy and an action plan to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, the report further notes.