Was Leonardo Da Vinci's mother Bulgarian and a follower of the Bogomil religious sect, as confirmed by Da Vinci's reference to the Gospel of Nicodemus, a so-called Bogomil gospel? No, this is not true. The origin of Da Vinci's mother Caterina is unproven, with some research showing she may have been a Caucasian slave or possibly an orphan named Caterina…

Did the United States order to take down the monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia, Bulgaria? No, this is not true: The Sofia district administration determined that the Monument to the Soviet Army in the Bulgarian capital required urgent restoration and relocation within the city due to its deteriorating condition, posing a potential danger to the public. The decision…

Вярно ли е, че лидерът на партия Движение за права и свободи (ДПС) е казал, че ще премахне паметник, посветен на освобождението на България от османско владичество? Не, не е вярно: Няма доказателства в подкрепа на твърдението, че Делян Пеевски е заявил, че иска да премахне паметника на Шипка, или че има нещо общо с решението на властите за премахването…

Is there an ongoing operation of the Ukrainian Army to capture and mobilize all men of Bessarabian Bulgarian origin? No, that's not true: There is no evidence or credible reports of such a forced mobilization process focused on Ukrainian citizens of Bessarabian Bulgarian descent. According to the head of the Executive Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, Rayna Mandzhukova, Bessarabian Bulgarians are…

Does a video on social media show a photo of a bizarre werewolf-like creature spotted in the Roma neighborhood of the Bulgarian city of Blagoevgrad? No, that's not true: The same image already circulated, having allegedly been taken in Mexico. According to an article published by an online tabloid in November 2023, as well as other online publications, the controversial…

Is the incense produced at the Greek Orthodox spiritual center Mount Athos tainted with adrenochrome extracted from abducted children? No, that's not true. This claim stems from a debunked conspiracy theory circulated by QAnon, suggesting that adrenochrome is harvested from trafficked and kidnapped children. The claim appeared in a video on TikTok (archived here) published by @lubomirabubeto on November 5,…

Are plans to use U.S. technology in the construction of two new reactors at Bulgaria's Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) like building mini atomic bombs because it is dangerous technology rejected by all other European countries? No, that's not true: The Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor selected for use in the nuclear power plant is designed with numerous safety features and…

Will the investigation into the European Union's coronavirus vaccine purchases, centering on the involvement of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, will be discontinued due to the passing of Member of European Parliament (MEP) Michèle Rivasi? No, that's not true: The inquiry is conducted by an institution rather than an individual. While Rivasi played a crucial role in overseeing…

Did Bulgaria destroy its livestock sector, leaving it with no more than 30,000 farm animals in the country? No, that's not true: The number of farm animals amounts to millions, according to the latest official statistics from the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (NSI). The claim appeared in a video on TikTok (archived here) published…

Does the drink Coca Cola contain a harmful acid that may also be used as an industrial rust converter, carcinogenic levels of caramel and worm extract? No, that's not true: Coca-Cola is a beverage with ingredients like phosphoric acid and high-fructose corn syrup, which is safe when consumed in moderation. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on December…

Do 82 percent of Bulgarian students up to the eighth grade (12 to 13 years old) take drugs? No, that's not true: A European survey showed that number was less than 3 percent. The former National Security Services (NSS) officer Nikolay Markov made this allegation after verbally attacking Western nations like the U.S., U.K. and Germany for interference in Bulgarian…

Has the European Union decided to replace the word "mother' with the expression "the person giving birth"? No, that's not true: A European Commission proposal to create a European Certificate of Parenthood does not aim to replace the word "mother" or change the concept of motherhood in official documents. The proposal, aimed at providing legal recognition of parenthood across member…

Are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov of Bulgarian descent? No, that's not true: Based on available information about Putin's family tree going back generations, as well as information about Kadyrov's origins, no connection with Bulgaria could be found. The claim appeared in a video on TikTok (archived here) published by @vladimir7yj4dtywyd on December 1, 2023. The…

Did the European Union lawmaker Michèle Rivasi die because of her role in the investigation connected to the European Commission president and Pfizer? No, that's not true: The French politician and environmental activist died due to a heart attack, according to information published on Rivasi's website and her official social media accounts. The claim appeared in a video on TikTok…

Did Bulgaria deny Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov permission to fly over its airspace to attend the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting in North Macedonia, which took place on November 30 and December 1, 2023? No, that's not true: Bulgaria granted an exception to the EU sanctions against Lavrov, allowing his plane to fly over its…

Does a news article visible on social media claim that a recent double murder followed by suicide in Bulgaria was the result of a vaccinated person being attacked with a psychotronic weapon, then turning violent? No, that's not true: The screenshot shown in a video did not report on vaccines or psychotronic weapon attacks but a family tragedy in which…

Does a video on social media show a photo of a burning container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire that was attacked by a suspected Iranian drone on November 25, 2023? No, that's not true: The photo can be traced back to multiple posts from 2019, and it shows a burning oil tanker, not a container ship hit by a…

Does a video on social media show the Chechen army in preparation to be sent to Gaza by order of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov? No, that's not true: The footage shown is from August 2023, predating conflict in the Middle East that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The claim appeared in a video on…

Вярно ли е, че българските власти съзнателно унищожават животновъдството, както стана ясно с евтаназирането на бременна кобила в разградско село? Не, не е вярно: Българската агенция по безопасност на храните (БАБХ) евтаназира въпросната бременна кобила заради наличието на силно заразна и нелечима болест по конете, известна като инфекциозна анемия. Кобилата е дала положителен тест за болестта два пъти, което принуждава…

Did Bulgarian Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev claim that NATO ships will occupy his country's economic zone in the Black Sea? No, that's not true: Tagarev stated that Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey are preparing to launch a joint mine-clearing operation in the Black Sea that will mark the first major collaborative operation by the NATO allies bordering the sea since…