The United Group said on Wednesday that it is set to take over Vestnik Telegraf EOOD, the biggest newspaper company in Bulgaria.

A press release said that “United Group, the leading telecommunications and media operator in Southeastern Europe had reached agreement with the Intrust EAD company to take over Vestnik Telegraf”. United Group includes the SBB cable services provider in Serbia and its EON and Total TV services with other media content including the Sport Klub, Nova S and N1 TV channels and portals.

“We are excited to announce this agrement. Bulgaria is an attractive market for the United Group and with Telegraf we are fulfilling our print media portfolio in that country. With Telegraf in United Group our clients in Bulgaria will be offered an entire range of media services and content. We see an opportunity to promote all Telegraf editions by moving to digital operation in order to reinforce our digital portfolio in Bulgaria,” United Group CEO Victoriya Boklag said.

Vestnik Telegraf EOOD has several brands: Telegraf (the daily newspaper with the highest circulation in the country), Monitor (a political and economic daily), Match Telegraf (the leading sports newspaper), Politika (political and economic weekly) Europost (English language weekly) and Borba (regional daily). Telegraf, Monitor, Politika, Europost and Borba also have digital content through their portals.

The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021 following regulatory approval.

United Group entered the Bulgarian market in 2019 when it won a tender to buy VIVACOM, the country’s leading telecommunications operator. That was followed in January 2021 with the acquisition of the Nova Broadcasting Group, the biggest Bulgarian multi-platform media company.

United Group includes leading telecommunications operators and the best media content producers in southeastern Europe.