Who Investigates UFO Claims in Bulgaria?

Introduction

In the context of Bulgaria’s ongoing public fascination with sightings and unexplained aerial phenomena, a distinct landscape of local enthusiasts, clubs, community networks, and occasional scientific engagement has developed around UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) reports. Unlike countries with formal government programmes or extensive academic research on the topic, Bulgaria’s UFO investigation activity has mainly thrived at the grassroots level: hobbyist groups, individual researchers, and occasional interactions with scientific institutions. At the same time, attempts to bring scientific scrutiny to these phenomena have met with mixed responses, limited formal study, and scepticism from mainstream science. This page examines who investigates UFO claims in Bulgaria, how these efforts are structured, and where scientific scrutiny intersects (or fails to) with popular UFO interest in the country.

Grassroots Clubs and Enthusiast Networks

One of the longest‑standing strands of UFO interest in Bulgaria has been the formation of local clubs and networks aimed at sharing reports, organising meetings and, unofficially, investigating sightings.

• UFO Disclosure Bulgaria is a prominent private initiative. Founded and led by Ivan Ivanov, it positions itself as a community and investigation group, conducting field enquiries, interviewing witnesses, and producing documentaries and online content about unexplained aerial phenomena and related paranormal reports. The group fosters community interaction through social media and events aimed at like‑minded individuals.[ufo]pronewsdobrich.bgUF O експерт от САЩ идва със специален доклад за Националната среща в ДобричUFO експерт от САЩ идва със специален доклад за Националната среща в Добрич - Про Нюз ДобричJuly 21, 2019 — UFO ЕКСПЕРТ ОТ САЩ ИДВА СЪС С…Published: July 21, 2019
• Over the past decades there have been regional hobbyist clubs such as „Търсачи на алтернативни форми на живот“ (Seekers of Alternative Life Forms) in Dobrich and broader networks like Мрежата на Обединените Български Уфолози (Network of United Bulgarian Ufologists), which have organised seminars, national gatherings, and invited speakers to discuss UFO sightings and personal accounts. Local media have documented these gatherings involving enthusiasts and occasional external guests.[Pro News Dobrich]pronewsdobrich.bgПро Нюз ДобричMarch 12, 2026…Published: March 12, 2026
• Historical figures such as Ivan Lazarov were among the earliest organised ufologists in Bulgaria, founding one of the first clubs, “Мъдромер”, in the 1990s and serving as national coordinator for the international MUFON (Mutual UFO Network), one of the largest civilian UFO research organisations. His work emphasised community building and reporting of sightings, though it drew controversy from sceptics and scientists alike.[bgdnes.bg]

These groups operate largely outside formal institutional frameworks. Their activities range from collecting eyewitness reports to hosting meetings and online forums where members share images, personal experiences, and interpretations. However, they generally lack access to specialised instrumentation, peer‑reviewed methodology, or formal scientific validation, aligning them more with hobbyist ufology than structured scientific inquiry.

Interfaces with Scientific Institutions

By contrast with grassroots networks, formal scientific institutions in Bulgaria have historically been cautious about engaging with UFO claims as a serious research domain, reflecting wider international scepticism regarding UFO investigation as a scientific discipline.

• In 2014, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) Institute for Space Studies convened an official conference to discuss the existence of unidentified flying phenomena and extraterrestrial intelligence, acknowledging the public interest and debating how to approach witness claims. The deputy director noted the desire to form an internal working group to evaluate case reports systematically.[Novinite]
• Reports from that period suggested Bulgarian scientists, including BAS researchers, had at times been quoted in the media claiming extraterrestrial life was present on Earth — interpretations that were widely contested and regarded sceptically by the broader scientific community. It is unclear whether these claims reflected mainstream BAS policy or fringe statements amplified by tabloid coverage.[The Telegraph]telegraph.co.ukAliens already exist on earth Bulgarian scientists claimThe TelegraphAliens 'already exist on earth', Bulgarian scientists claim26 Nov 2009 — Aliens from outer space are already among us on ear…

Despite these episodes, formal scientific engagement in Bulgaria has been sporadic and limited. The Academy’s principal research bodies such as the Space Research and Technology Institute and observatories are focused on established space science, remote sensing, astrophysics and astronautics, rather than UFO phenomena. Scientific institutions typically treat UFO sightings as cultural or psychological phenomena, or as cases of misidentification that require rigorous atmospheric, astronomical, or technical analysis rather than extraordinary explanations.

Why Scientific Scrutiny Remains Limited

The contrast between active UFO enthusiasts and the formal scientific establishment in Bulgaria reflects broader international divides over UFO study.

• Methodological barriers: Scientific inquiry requires reproducibility, controlled observation, and falsifiable hypotheses. Unidentified aerial reports tend to be isolated, non‑reproducible events based on eyewitness testimony. This makes them difficult to investigate with methodologies accepted in mainstream physics and space science. Ufology, as a term and field of study, is widely regarded outside of official science as lacking rigorous, falsifiable frameworks.[Wikipedia]WikipediaSource details in endnotes.
• Institutional priorities: Bulgarian scientific institutions, like their counterparts elsewhere, prioritise established research agendas (e.g. astrophysics, aerospace technologies) and have limited resources for exploratory research on anomalous sightings. While individual scientists may express interest or engage with public discourse, sustained institutional programmes dedicated to UFO investigation are absent.
• Public and scientific perception: UFO interest often overlaps with fringe theories and paranormal interpretations, which can discourage serious scientific engagement. In many cases, scientists view anomalous sightings as explainable natural or man‑made phenomena awaiting clarification through conventional research methods.

Conclusion

In Bulgaria, the landscape of UFO investigation comprises active grassroots communities of hobbyists and enthusiasts sharing reports, forums and occasional symposiums, alongside limited and intermittent scientific attention from established research institutions. While groups such as UFO Disclosure Bulgaria and regional networks maintain public interest and gather anecdotal evidence, the absence of robust scientific structures dedicated to UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) investigation means that most inquiries remain informal. Scientific scrutiny tends to frame these reports within broader research contexts — astronomical, atmospheric, perceptual — rather than as evidence of extraordinary phenomena. This tension between popular UFO interest and formal scientific scepticism shapes how UFO claims are investigated and understood within Bulgarian society today.

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Endnotes

1. Source: bgdnes.bg
   Link: https://www.bgdnes.bg/bulgaria/article/4604431
   Source snippet

   Иван Лазаров, първият БГ уфолог: Паисий е описал среща с НЛОFebruary 17, 2015...

   Published: February 17, 2015

2. Source: novinite.com
   Link: https://www.novinite.com/articles/164917/BAS%2BTo%2BInvestigate%2BUFO%2BClaims
   Source snippet

   NoviniteBAS To Investigate UFO Claims21 Nov 2014 —... official conference on the existence of UFOs and... (BAS), UFO, Institute for Spa...

3. Source: Wikipedia
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ufology

4. Source: bgdnes.bg
   Link: https://www.bgdnes.bg/bulgaria/article/7681084
   Source snippet

   Извънземни взимат Динко на кораба сиSeptember 30, 2019 — ИЗВЪНЗЕМНИ ВЗИМАТ ДИНКО НА КОРАБА СИ Публикувана: 30.09.2019, 12:20 5543 Автор...

   Published: September 30, 2019

5. Source: novinite.com
   Title: Bulgaria UFO Video under Scrutiny By Ex-FBI Agent Ben Hansen
   Link: https://www.novinite.com/articles/152794/Bulgaria%2BUFO%2BVideo%2Bunder%2BScrutiny%2BBy%2BEx-FBI%2BAgent%2BBen%2BHansen
   Source snippet

   Sofia News AgencyAugust 13, 2013 — BULGARIA UFO VIDEO UNDER SCRUTINY BY EX-FBI AGENT BEN HANSEN Views on BG | August 13, 2013, Tuesday //...

   Published: August 13, 2013

6. Source: youtube.com
   Title: UFO Disclosure Bulgaria
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ91jz4MSkY
   Source snippet

   Clifford Stone with UFO Disclosure Bulgaria...

7. Source: pronewsdobrich.bg
   Link: https://pronewsdobrich.bg/ognena-sfera-i-sveteshti-diskove-nad-dobrich-kakvo-opisvat-ochevidtsi-na-nlo-p665644
   Source snippet

   Про Нюз ДобричMarch 12, 2026...

   Published: March 12, 2026

8. Source: telegraph.co.uk
   Title: Aliens already exist on earth Bulgarian scientists claim
   Link: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/bulgaria/6650677/Aliens-already-exist-on-earth-Bulgarian-scientists-claim.html
   Source snippet

   The TelegraphAliens 'already exist on earth', Bulgarian scientists claim26 Nov 2009 — Aliens from outer space are already among us on ear...

9. Source: pronewsdobrich.bg
   Title: UF O експерт от САЩ идва със специален доклад за Националната среща в Добрич
   Link: https://pronewsdobrich.bg/2019/07/21/ufo-ekspert-ot-sasht-idva-sas-spetsialen-doklad-za-natsionalnata-sreshta-v-dobrich/
   Source snippet

   UFO експерт от САЩ идва със специален доклад за Националната среща в Добрич - Про Нюз ДобричJuly 21, 2019 — UFO ЕКСПЕРТ ОТ САЩ ИДВА СЪС С...

   Published: July 21, 2019

Additional References

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   ФакторOctober 15, 2016 — ​УФОЛОГЪТ ИВАН ИВАНОВ: ДОКАЗАТЕЛСТВАТА ЗА НЛО В БЪЛГАРИЯ ВЕРОЯТНО СЕ КРИЯТ ОТ ДС И СЛУЖБИТЕ * 08:26, 15 Октомври...

   Published: October 15, 2016

2. Source: utroruse.com
   Link: https://utroruse.com/article/3469/
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   Най-голямата световна НЛО-мрежа избра за БГ директор основателя на „Мъдромер“ - УтроJanuary 19, 2013 — НАЙ-ГОЛЯМАТА СВЕТОВНА НЛО-МРЕЖА ИЗ...

   Published: January 19, 2013

3. Source: euroufo.net
   Link: https://www.euroufo.net/
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   EuroUFO | The Virtual Community of Scientifically Oriented European UFO ResearchersMarch 20, 2026 — EUROUFO THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY OF SCIE...

   Published: March 20, 2026

4. Source: darik.bg
   Title: Уфолози от цяла България се събират в Добрич на семинар за НЛО | Darik.bg
   Link: https://darik.bg/ufolozi-ot-cala-balgaria-se-sabirat-v-dobrich-na-seminar-za-nlo
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   September 28, 2019 — УФОЛОЗИ ОТ ЦЯЛА БЪЛГАРИЯ СЕ СЪБИРАТ В ДОБРИЧ НА СЕМИНАР ЗА НЛО Клуб „Търсачи на алтернативни форми на живот“ – Добри...

   Published: September 28, 2019

5. Source: pure.roehampton.ac.uk
   Title: roehampton.ac.uk The Photographic Practise and Imagery of Dark Tourism
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   UFO. It was a place full of Bulgarian communist history left to... In the photograph, there is a juxtaposition between the cold alien-lo...

6. Source: retro.bg
   Title: Уфологът Иван Лазаров: Паисий Хилендарски пръв е видял НЛО в България!
   Link: https://retro.bg/lyubopitno/strongufologt-ivan-lazarovnbspstrongstrongpaisiy-khilendarski-prv-e-vidyal-nlo-v-blgariyastrong_23475.html
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   July 15, 2019 — УФОЛОГЪТ ИВАН ЛАЗАРОВ: ПАИСИЙ ХИЛЕНДАРСКИ ПРЪВ Е ВИДЯЛ НЛО В БЪЛГАРИЯ! Любопитно 15 юли 2019, 15:25 Image Image автор Рет...

   Published: July 15, 2019

7. Source: nuforc.org
   Title: No of observers: 4 Location: Malki Varshets, Gabrovo, Bul
   Link: https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=189995
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   NUFORC UFO Sighting 189995June 9, 2025 — NUFORC UFO SIGHTING 189995 Occurred: 2014-08-17 21:00 Local - Approximate Reported: 2025-06-01 0...

   Published: August 17, 2014

8. Source: churchstate.eu
   Link: https://www.churchstate.eu/pdf/NEW/tripa_status.pdf
   Source snippet

   claiming that minarets are alien to the culture and tradition of a country... shelter for abandoned pets), a community of UFO-believers...

9. Source: irep.ntu.ac.uk
   Link: https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/47350/1/phd%20thesis%20submission%20%28corrected%29%20-%20Google%20Docs.pdf
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   Children's Film Foundation: an Investigation Into the...by AS Peppiatt · 2021 — were to look as alien to those of the 1950s as the kitch...

10. Source: science.gov
    Link: https://www.science.gov/topicpages/a/amateur%2Bastronomical%2Bsocieties
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    amateur astronomical societies: Topics by...The UAP Observations Reporting Scheme as a tool for demystifying UFOs and stimulating intere...