Bulgaria received initial reports regarding the Chernobyl accident two days after it occurred. On April 28, the Soviet TASS news agency reported an accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, stating that one reactor was damaged and that measures were underway to manage the consequences. The following day, TASS reported that the USSR Council of Ministers acknowledged a “release of radioactive substances” but maintained that the situation was stabilized and under constant monitoring.
On April 29, a confidential bulletin noted that Western experts suggested the Chernobyl accident likely caused numerous fatalities. As the radiation cloud reached Bulgaria on May 1, the state news agency initially reported normal background radiation levels, though it noted that monitoring continued. Throughout this period, Vladimir Kostov criticized the Bulgarian media for lacking locally sourced information or precautionary advice, contrasting this with international reporting.
Official reassurances followed on May 3, claiming radiation levels were safe. However, Kostov continued to criticize the government for downplaying the nuclear disaster and failing to disseminate safety measures adopted by neighboring countries. By May 5, an announcement indicated that while monitoring continued, some areas showed radiation levels up to three times the normal average, though this was deemed not dangerous.
Water sources were reported as having normal readings. By May 7, a public health official stated that monitoring showed decreasing radiation levels and no threat to public health. Despite these announcements, international bodies began banning the import of agricultural products from areas near Chernobyl, including Bulgaria.
The state news coverage of these developments remained heavily controlled, with the first acknowledgment of abnormal readings in Bulgaria appearing on May 5.
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This article raises serious questions about the level of public disclosure during the initial stages of the incident.