Движение за права и свободи (DPS)/Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS)
EU RANK: 179 (Tier 5: High Risk)
Движение за права и свободи (DPS) is a liberal party with a strong base among ethnic Turks and other minorities, but also backed by business networks and local power brokers. Since the 1990s it has been a pivotal actor in Bulgarian politics, frequently serving as a kingmaker in coalitions and exercising influence that exceeds its formal vote share. The party portrays itself as a defender of minority rights and European integration but is widely associated with oligarchic power and state capture.
Disinformation and alternative media
DPS communicates via mainstream television, regional media in mixed regions, party‑linked outlets and social media. It does not run an overt conspiratorial media ecosystem, but some regional and niche outlets connected to DPS‑aligned economic interests promote highly partisan narratives and attack critics, especially around corruption investigations and minority issues.
Disinformation mapping for Bulgaria focuses more on pro‑Kremlin and nationalist actors; DPS does not figure as a principal producer of fabricated stories, though it benefits from captured or loyal outlets that limit critical scrutiny. DMI disinformation/alternative‑media risk is medium.
Foreign influence and external alignments
DPS is a member of the liberal ALDE family and officially pro‑EU and pro‑NATO. It supports EU membership and minority protections and has largely backed EU positions on sanctions and security, though its focus remains on domestic patronage and influence rather than on foreign‑policy debates.
There is no strong public evidence of DPS serving as a conduit for Russian state influence, despite the party’s role in energy and large public‑procurement sectors; concerns about foreign leverage in Bulgaria mostly highlight structural channels across multiple parties. DPS’s foreign‑influence DMI risk is medium: a powerful actor in vulnerable sectors but not primarily defined by pro‑Kremlin positions.
Media capture, advertising and public service media
DPS is central to the story of media capture in Bulgaria through its close association with business groups that own or control major outlets, distribution networks and advertising agencies. The most emblematic figure is Delyan Peevski, a DPS politician and media magnate whose network has dominated large parts of the print, distribution and online news market and benefited from state advertising and public‑company contracts.
These structures have marginalised independent and critical media, especially outside Sofia, and created a climate in which many outlets avoid investigative reporting on DPS‑linked interests. DPS’s DMI media‑capture risk is high.
Corruption, litigation and institutional integrity
DPS and its associated networks have been repeatedly linked to major corruption allegations, including misuse of EU funds, public procurement rigging, control over regulators and opaque privatisations. International partners and Bulgarian civil society frequently cite DPS‑centred oligarchic structures as key obstacles to rule‑of‑law reform and effective anti‑corruption enforcement.
Some DPS‑linked figures, including Peevski, have been sanctioned by foreign governments under corruption and rule‑of‑law‑related regimes, underscoring the gravity of external concerns. DPS’s DMI corruption and institutional‑integrity risk is high.
Press freedom, harassment and treatment of media
Media‑freedom watchdogs consistently identify DPS‑linked media ownership and advertising networks as major drivers of Bulgaria’s deteriorating press‑freedom environment. Critical journalists and outlets covering DPS and its businesses have reported smear campaigns, legal pressure, advertising boycotts and exclusion from information channels.
While overt physical attacks are rare, the combination of economic dependency, legal intimidation and concentrated ownership has created strong incentives for self‑censorship. DPS’s press‑freedom and harassment DMI risk is high.