News

One of the most recognizable voices, that of Milena Zlatkova, is starting a new segment on Vesti.bg.

Here’s what Milena shared with us about the new project:

Milena, you’re the voice many of us are used to waking up with. Now, you’re starting a new column on Vesti.bg. What inspired you to dive into this?

Milena: There’s always something left unsaid. I have things to share not just on air, and “the written word” is a different kind of conversation. It’s a need for movement, for sharing collected stories, observations, personal experiences. A feeling of closeness that’s absolutely possible even with a wide audience.

I’d like to believe I have something to say. And that there are people who want to hear it. That what’s normal—with a pinch of craziness—and the awareness of life’s tiny details is important!

Above all, I’m truly happy that the people driving these projects at Vesti.bg and throughout the NetInfo team somehow warmed my heart. It’s rare to meet people who inspire me, whom I can genuinely admire, and at the same time feel like myself around—comfortable, yet lifted and free.

That’s why this strong desire to find “something besides Troyka that I could fall in love with” is now knocking at the door.

How would you describe your column in three words that don’t belong in the news dictionary?

Milena: “The Little Things”?

The most honest steps toward yourself.

No one can take those away from us.

What kind of topics will find a place in the column — small life stories, big reflections, or something entirely different?

Milena: I’ve always believed that little things “speak.”
In them, I see the choices we make for ourselves every single day. A person’s true character is visible in the details.

Clothes, music, visual art, eating habits, vacation spots, health care, favorite movies, literature, modern or art deco furniture, white plastic flowerpots or something in Capodimonte style…

In fact, the topics will revolve around the seemingly small decisions we make daily — and how each of them reflects back on us.

Who is this column for — who is your “inner reader” when you sit down to write?

Milena: It’s not a robot — it’s a person.

Someone with an awake mind who wants to live fully. To survive, but not be crushed by the framework. To cope without being melted down into the clichés we often move through like grooves.

Anyone for whom something simple — like having a choice — feels like a matter of life and death. A choice that’s informed, personal, and intimate.

Will Milena sound in writing the way she sounds on air – and what changes when the words don’t go through a microphone?

Milena: It’s possible that I’ll be much more lyrical or sarcastic. To create a sense of awakening, emotion is key – even when it’s exaggerated. I just want to be useful, like a puzzle – for everyone to recognize their own missing piece that’s been right under their nose.
I’m a romantic who never, ever gives up. Together we’ll search for ways. To live in line with the ideas we believe in. And the needs that stem from them.

What are you trying to capture – taste, breath, mood… or simply the human?

Milena: The charm. Who is the person I sense through taste, breath, mood…

Which of “the little things in life” has been grabbing your attention most lately?

Milena: The theme of fleeting things and the things that remain.
Why is it that even our furniture, clothes, and everyday items feel like part of such a… forgettable wave?
It’s become almost shameful to have your own style, uncomfortable to stand out. Even the act of “standing out” now follows a template. We’ve turned into walking clichés.
I like when everything has a story – in art, in industry, in fashion. When there’s culture, even in how we eat.
In that sense, epigenetics may sound complicated, but it actually offers simple ways to live better and longer.

Is there a story you’ve been meaning to tell, but the moment hasn’t come yet?

Milena: There is. It’s a love story. About a dance. But it’s yet to come — the encounter with love as I know it exists.

I have no idea if there will ever be a point in telling it. Isn’t love meant to be lived?

Just like in “The Little Things”, we’ll live through the inspiration, the wondering, the reading, and the doing — together.

If you could choose an illustration for each of your articles, what would absolutely have to be in it — the sun, an umbrella, a cup of coffee?

Milena: The idea of boundlessness and freedom in thought.
So… my cup of coffee with the sea in the background.
When it’s summer.

You’re someone who observes people closely. What do you most enjoy catching in an ordinary day?

Milena: I do it every morning on “Troyka na Razsymvane” — the nuances in someone’s tone.
They give away the mood and the attitude toward everything. That’s how I get a sense of “how we’re doing today.”

If your column were a color, what would it be and why?

Milena: A warm orange, slightly rusty — like an autumn leaf.
A deep, elegant red — like a rich wine.
These colors feel cozy to me. They carry energy, class, and a touch of sensuality.

And white — because it’s honest, noble, and brave.

My secret, eternal love is Versailles blue — but in “The Little Things” we won’t be talking about Blue Velvet and David Lynch’s butchered stories.

We’ll be discovering what brings us joy, pleasure, and delight.

“Troyka po Nikoe Vreme” sounds like a time when we can afford not to rush. What’s it like to do it — is it different from being on the radio?

Milena: Much different. We’ve been doing the morning show on Radio Vitosha for 25 years now. There, we swim in a very specific rhythm – breathless, even extreme.

In the podcast with Kiril and Todor, we actually have the time to listen to one another, to be thorough, to have long conversations with people we’re genuinely happy to meet in person.
Although, I still kind of hope we get into a proper argument with someone. I love debates, no matter who seems to win in the end.

How do you imagine the podcast and the column will complement each other? Can the written word elevate the audio and vice versa?

Milena: We are ourselves everywhere. And everywhere, I am me — though with different layers.

The charm of the written word is that you see the words. You get more time to reflect on them. And maybe in the end, something entirely your own might spark. That’s a huge plus.

Our time is more fragmented than ever. What do you want to leave behind in it?

Milena: That I managed not to betray myself. And by that, not to betray my child, my loved ones, the people I “speak” to.

I want to preserve the core I’ve carried since childhood. I may sound like an old soul, but to me, that’s how I can be of help to everyone time brings my way. As well as increase the chances for “The Little Things” to stay on course toward the big ones.

The battle for identity is ahead.

Who is Milena Zlatkova?

Milena Zlatkova is a person with a mission, a heart, and a microphone. She studied art management and cultural administration, but never stopped learning — from life, from people, from the little things. She has a soft spot for visual art, antique furniture, lamps, and porcelain, started reading at age four, and adores jazz.

On air, she’s the well-known voice from the morning show “Troyka na Rassamvane” — not just a host, but the engine behind the console and many social causes that have become reality — from the “More Bulgarian Children for Bulgaria” campaign to medical equipment for premature babies and specialized nutrition for children with special needs. She’s a volunteer, an egg donor, and a deeply committed person to meaningful causes that touch hearts.

She’s worked for The Economist’s magazine Intelligent Life, had her own television projects, has written for health platforms, and now voices audiobooks for Storytel. She always dives headfirst into things that speak to her from within.

She believes integrity and personal identity are sacred — and that they’re still possible. Especially when carried with style.