site.btaSocialists Concerned about Media Environment in Bulgaria over Suspended TV Show

Sofia, June 27 (BTA) - The representatives of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) for Bulgaria in the parliamentary Culture and Media Committee are gravely concerned about the media situation in Bulgaria and the mounting evidence that censorship practically exists, opposition BSP MP and journalist Alexander Simov said at a Wednesday briefing in Parliament.

The concern was caused by the suspension of a Milen Tsvetkov show on Nova TV "only because he had the temerity to look into the soul and concerns of Boyko Borissov involving the news, false or not, that the Prime Minister has bought an island," in the words of Simov.

The news that Borissov has bought a Greek island first appeared in Greek media and he promptly denied it. This was one of the subjects of Tsvetkov's show earlier this week, but it was suspended with the management explaining that moral journalistic standards have not been kept.

According to Simov, this proves that the cumbersome media environment directly results from the incumbent and the policy led by Borissov.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister said in Facebook that neither he, nor any member of his team, has pressurized the broadcasting policy of the said media, or any other, for that matter. "The media are free to release whatever they choose. I call for clarification of the truth with the suspended show and for stopping involving my name. Censorship and auto-censorship are equally detrimental to journalism. No action of mine is kept under cover," Borrissov declared.