Ruth Koleva calls on Bulgarian politicians to stop claiming Eurovision victory

Bulgarian singer and songwriter Ruth Koleva used her Facebook account to urge the country's political leaders not to appropriate the recent Eurovision Song Contest win achieved by the artist Dara. She emphasized that the triumph was the result of Dara’s talent, hard work and her own team, not a product of any state cultural strategy or policy.

Koleva criticized the long‑standing lack of a coherent cultural policy in Bulgaria, noting that the national broadcaster BNT’s limited budget forced the country’s absence from Eurovision for many years. She cited a study estimating the Bulgarian music industry’s annual economic contribution at about €150 million and pointed to chronic under‑funding of festivals, project financing and difficulties for artists to afford international engagements. As concrete steps, she called for the prioritisation of music and culture, the construction of a modern concert hall in Sofia, and broader support for the sector’s export potential.