site.btaUPDATED Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee Adopts BTA’s Annual Report for 2023

The Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee adopted the annual report of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) for 2023 by a unanimous vote of 7-0, with no abstentions here on Thursday. 

The report was presented by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. "The document outlines the steps the agency is taking to achieve our five strategic goals – freedom, truth, knowledge, community, and memory," he said.

"In 2021, when the National Assembly elected me in January, I presented a programme that I developed into a strategic plan called 'The Future of BTA' within the first year of my term in office, aiming at five strategic goals. Therefore, in the plan itself, the programme, and the annual reports, I present the specific steps taken to pursue these five goals," Valchev said.

FREEDOM

"BTA celebrated its 125th anniversary since its first news dispatch in 1898 on February 16, offering completely free access as envisioned by the National Assembly. The only exclusion applies to archive materials, which require a fee," Valchev said.

Currently news from Bulgaria reaches an incredibly larger number of media outlets, and through them, many more people abroad, compared to the beginning of 2021. Valchev noted that the use of BTA within Bulgaria has significantly increased. He added that the media outlet's followers on Facebook have tripled. In addition to its Bulgarian page, BTA also runs an English language page on Facebook and is active on other social networks including X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Threads.

"We adhere to two main rules that present certain challenges," Valchev said. He explained that the first rule is that the agency always specifies a clear source of information. "Unfortunately, on a global scale, even major agencies continue to rely on anonymous sources. We have ceased using anonymous sources for our news, except in a very narrow range of cases where the source must be protected," he said. He highlighted that the second fundamental rule at BTA is the avoidance of any evaluative comments in reporting. "However, our social network profiles are used by anonymous sources who distribute evaluations and due to BTA's significant presence on these networks, we end up amplifying them significantly," he added. "From this point forward, BTA will only allow comments from verified profiles," he said.

"In pursuit of freedom, we developed our BTA School," Valchev said. He added that BTA correspondents now have vehicles for the first time, with the acquisition of 30 electric cars. Additionally, the agency has funded the construction of an elevator to facilitate access to the press conference hall and a new parking facility.

TRUTH

"We have a very detailed ethical code with rules that ensure the information from BTA is always true," Valchev said. He underscored the significant impact of the National Assembly's decision, via the Bulgarian News Agency Act, to differentiate press releases from proprietary content. The agency has published nearly 23,000 press releases originating from a diverse array of organizations, including all budget-funded entities, political parties, national and European parliamentarians, and non-governmental organizations, Valchev said. He noted that the press releases account for about 10% of all information published by BTA. 

Valchev said that BTA adheres to a strict policy of accepting funding solely through the budget approved by the National Assembly and through organizations of which Bulgaria is a member, such as the European Union. "We no longer accept paid publications to safeguard our independence and ensure the national information agency is not used to further private agendas," Valchev said. He also mentioned that the media has already signed its eighth project with a European institution.

KNOWLEDGE

In 2023, BTA launched eight new thematic sections, covering diverse topics such as the Israel-Hamas conflict, earthquakes in Turkiye, COP28 in Dubai, the 80th anniversary of the rescue of Bulgarian Jews, and Bulgarian archaeology, continuously refreshing its content offerings, Valchev said. 

"Last year, seven new national press clubs were opened in Kardzhali, Pernik, Petrich, Razgrad, Samokov, Svishtov, and Smolyan. This year, another press club was inaugurated in Montana. "Bulgaria now boasts a network of national press clubs in all regional centres through BTA," Valchev said. "BTA also operates press clubs in Kazanlak, Petrich, Svishtov, and Samokov, with upcoming openings planned for Troyan, Panagyurishte, and Gotse Delchev, due to their distance from regional centers," he added.

In 2023, press clubs were established in Ankara and Odesa. Valchev highlighted that BTA is the only global news agency with a permanent correspondent in Odesa. "We hope to open a press club in Belgrade this year and in Athens the following year," he said.

"We have resumed covering significant sporting events. Since 1988, BTA had not covered an Olympics on-site," he said and added that the agency currently has a special correspondent at the Paris Olympics.

"The number of photographs in the agency has increased eightfold compared to 2020, and video materials have increased fivefold," he said.

COMMUNITY

"The goal is for BTA to be a bridge between all Bulgarians around the world," Kiril Valchev said. "We achieve this with press clubs in cities abroad that have Bulgarian communities," he added, citing the cities of Bosilegrad, Taraclia, and Odesa as examples.

"The 18th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media was held in Kazanlak, attended by 40 Bulgarian media outlets and 28 from 16 countries across three continents – Europe, America, and Australia, including 13 from Bulgaria, as well as three journalist associations and the journalism faculty of the oldest Bulgarian higher education institution, St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia. We used this meeting to also invite partner agencies and their journalists from 12 countries," Valchev said.

He explained that the agency has continued to engage in various formats, including participation in the National Assembly, to explore ways to support Bulgarian media abroad through the expertise of BTA. "I take this opportunity to draw attention to this matter again," he said.

MEMORY

On February 16. 2023, BTA celebrated its 125th anniversary with a concert at Bulgaria Hall. "We have published two of the three planned volumes on the history of BTA, and the third volume is now ready," he said. He added that it would be presented during the Apollonia Art Festival in Sozopol.

"Nearly 1.4 million pages from the archives of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency have been scanned, with all bulletins from 1898 to 1963 fully digitized," Valchev said. He noted that the largest photo archive in Bulgaria is maintained by the BTA, with nearly 100,000 frames already digitized.

"We are striving to maintain our building with the utmost care," said Valchev. "On August 6, the agency will showcase its transformation step by step. Having already installed an elevator and a modern parking system, we are now embarking on the 'Beautiful Bulgaria' project to renovate and illuminate the agency's facade." He added that the plans for a new newsroom will also be presented.

Valchev explained that work is also progressing on a larger project supported by the Regions in Growth programme. Titled "The World of News," the project aims to enhance the BTA building's energy efficiency, transform the garden in front of the building into a park resembling Mini Europe, and establish a news museum. The project is being developed in collaboration with the National Polytechnic Museum, he added.

"We have often witnessed how state institutions and organizations set themselves overly ambitious tasks. We see the results. I think in this respect, BTA is a unique example. A tremendous amount has been done," said Lyuben Dilov, Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media from GERB-UDF.

"I have repeatedly given a positive assessment of the dynamic development of the national news agency," Dimitar Nikolov of GERB-UDF said. He raised questions regarding the staffing policies and the remuneration of BTA journalists and correspondents.

"On January 1, 2021, the average monthly salary at the agency was BGN 1,130, excluding seniority bonuses, and there was minimal additional material incentive, such as additional bonuses. By December 31, 2023, the average salary had increased to BGN 1,800, and with the seniority bonuses included, it rose from BGN 1,380 in 2021 to BGN 2,250. This represents a 63% increase," Valchev said.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you have accomplished during this period. We greatly appreciate your efforts and those of your team. Of course, you are not just a news agency; we recognize this. Your significance, influence, and role extend far beyond, encompassing both social and cultural dimensions," said Husein Hafizov of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). "If 20 or 15 percent of state structures operated in this manner, we would be a truly developed, self-respecting, confident, European country," Manol Peykov of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) said. Stoyan Mihalev from Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) said BTA is an example of "an independent institution, not subject to various party influences".