Bulgaria's schools, airports and media organisations were targeted by a coordinated wave of bomb threats on 4 June 2026. Multiple institutions received threatening emails during the morning, triggering evacuations and security inspections nationwide. No explosives were found at any location.
Ten Warnings in One Region
Authorities in Kardzhali Region received ten separate warnings shortly before 11:00 a.m., targeting schools, kindergartens and the regional office of Bulgarian National Radio. The queues outside the Kardzhali schools stretched longer than usual as staff followed evacuation procedures, a reminder that these hoaxes ripple through everyday life here.
Krasimir Angelov, director of Bulgarian National Radio in Kardzhali, confirmed the station received a threatening message via its general email account. According to Angelov, the same email was sent to national and regional media outlets across the country. Bulgarian National Television was among the recipients.
Similar alerts reached schools in Sliven, Burgas, Sofia, Haskovo, Varna, Dupnitsa, Kyustendil, Bobov Dol and Nikolaevo as the morning progressed. Police evacuated students, staff and teachers at affected schools and conducted building searches following standard emergency procedures. Specialised police teams completed security sweeps at each location.
Airports Targeted but Operations Continue
Sofia Airport and Varna Airport both received bomb threats but maintained normal flight operations throughout. Airport authorities activated security protocols immediately while passengers continued to transit as scheduled.
Other public locations named in the threats included a hospital in Sofia, a church in Varna and a bridge in Ruse. Officials stated the threatening emails originated from Italy, though this attribution remains unconfirmed and investigations into the source are continuing.
Ministry Deploys Cybercrime Specialists
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that cybercrime specialists from the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime have joined the investigation. Police and security services are working to trace the email source and identify those responsible for the false alerts.
The coordinated nature of the campaign, affecting multiple regions and institution types simultaneously, marks an escalation in digital threats targeting Bulgarian public services. This was not one school receiving an ill-judged prank. It was a systematic, nationwide campaign delivered by email to institutions ranging from kindergartens to national broadcasters.
What This Means for British Expats
British travellers using Sofia or Varna airports on 4 June faced no disruption. Both airports followed security procedures but kept normal operations running.
If you have children in Bulgarian schools, including international schools, expect heightened security awareness in the coming days as authorities remain alert for further threats. Schools will likely review their evacuation protocols, and parents may see increased communication from school administrators about security procedures.
The investigation is active. Bulgarian police have not indicated whether this is linked to any previous false alarm campaigns or represents a new pattern.