U.S. Congress to Cut Funding for Radio Free Europe Bulgaria on March 31

The U.S. Congress will terminate financial support for the Bulgarian office of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on March 31. RFE/RL operates as a private, non-profit corporation, relying on grants from Congress via the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). In March 2025, President Donald Trump enacted a major reduction of USAGM’s activities, affecting its regional operations.

The move follows similar closures in the region. The Hungarian office of RFE/RL ceased operations in November 2025, and reports from Bucharest earlier this month indicated that the Romanian office will also close on March 31.

The Bulgarian team of RFE/RL is reportedly exploring options to maintain its services. A source told BGNES that efforts are underway to ensure continued outreach to the Bulgarian audience despite the pending cessation of funding.

RFE/RL’s Bulgarian-language service, “Free Europe,” originally broadcast from 1950 until 2004. Since early 2019, the platform has been revived digitally, offering multimedia content for Bulgarian speakers.