BG-ALERT: emergency messages on your phone in Bulgaria

BG-ALERT is Bulgaria’s emergency warning system for mobile phones: during a disaster or other danger, the Ministry of Interior sends a message to every phone in the affected area, in Bulgarian and English, with a special sound or vibration. If you get one, read it and follow its instructions. If you or someone near you is in danger, call 112.

What is BG-ALERT and how does it work?

BG-ALERT uses cell broadcast: the message goes out from the mobile network masts in an area to the phones connected to them, a bit like a radio signal. That is why there is no app and no registration. National tests in 2023 were described by BTA as reaching “devices supporting the Cell Broadcast technology”. The system is run by the Ministry of Interior’s fire safety and civil protection directorate and adds to the old network of civil defence sirens.

What does a BG-ALERT message look like?

• It pops up on the screen as an emergency alert, not as a normal text in your messages.
• The text is in Bulgarian and English, according to the BTA and Sofia Globe reports on past tests.
• It arrives once, with a specific sound and/or vibration. Reports on the 2023 tests said it gets through even when the phone is on silent.
• Tests go out on a separate test channel. A real warning tells you what is happening and what to do.

Is it a test or a real warning?

Tests are announced in advance by the Ministry of Interior on bg-alert.bg. According to BTA and BNR, the 2026 national test, first planned for 1 April, was moved to 2 June 2026 between 11:00 and 11:30 on a special test channel. After an earlier national test the directorate reported that 98% of mobile network cells sent the correct message (BTA, April 2025). On 25 September 2026 bg-alert.bg announced a further national test for 1 October 2026. As of 26 October 2026 no later test had been announced, so check bg-alert.bg before relying on any date.

How do I set up my phone?

Look in your phone’s settings for Wireless emergency alerts (Android, often under Safety and emergency) or Government alerts at the bottom of Notifications (iPhone). The names differ by model. There you can switch test messages on or off; leave the real warnings on.

What should I do when I get one?

1. Stop and read the whole message.
2. Do what it says: stay indoors, keep away from the coast or a river, or leave the area.
3. Call 112 if you or someone else is in danger. It is free and works 24/7.
4. Follow updates from official sources, not rumours.

What it means for Varna

Varna’s phones get the same national messages; in the regional tests of November 2023 Varna was tested together with Dobrich, Targovishte and Shumen. Save the numbers of the main emergency department from our page on hospitals and emergency care in Varna, and see everyday essentials and SIM cards and eSIMs for staying connected.