site.btaBSP and Independant MPs Call for Culture Minister's Resignation, Following BNR Director General Resignation

Sofia, October 22 (BTA) - Bulgarian Socialist Party and
independant MPs have called for the resignation of Culture
Minister Boil Banov, after the Director General of the Bulgarian
 National Radio (BNR), Andon Baltakov, requested Wednesday that
the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) terminate the contract
with which he took over BNR management, as of November 1.
Baltakov's resignation was announced by the BNR on its Horizont
radio programme.

"I am extremely disappointed by the lack of managerial will for
 changes in Bulgarian legislation that would guarantee that the
BNR will remain independent and completely free from political
interference," Baltakov told BNR.

Baltakov explained that in a report by Culture Minister Boil
Banov which proposes draft amendments to the Radio and
Television Act, the BNR-approved text was replaced, which
Baltakov describes as "absolutely arrogant and brazen
manipulation" that he cannot tolerate. CEM Chair Betina Joteva
told 24 Chassa on Wednesday: "I hope he will reconsider and
withdraw his resignation". Baltakov was elected BNR Director
General on January 22, 2020.

On Thursday, the Culture Ministry commented on Baltakov's 
position, saying that all the proposed provisions concerning the
 financing of public media have been summarized in a bill
currently proposed for public discussion.

The draft Radio and Television Act is published on the website
of the Ministry of Culture and on the portal for public
consultations for a period of 30 days. Proposals from all
stakeholders, including the BNR, may be processed until
November.

The project proposed for public discussion by the Ministry of
Culture envisages changes in the financing of the Bulgarian
National Radio and the Bulgarian National Television (BNT).
According to them, public media will be funded according to its
mission. At the moment, the subsidy is determined on the
principle of quota per hour programing. According to information
 in 24 Chasa, one hour of programming in BNT is estimated at
1,844 leva, and in BNR its 443 leva. In practice, the changes to
 the Radio and Television Act cancel the provisions for the
functioning of the Radio and Television Fund.

On Thursday, the BSP parliamentary issued a declaration at the
National Assembly: "For the second time in two years, the GERB
party is causing a crisis in the Bulgarian National Radio. For
the second time, one of the last remaining free media has been
thrown into chaos, and director Andon Baltakov has asked for his
 resignation," said Alexander Simov, who read the BSP's
statement.

The BSP for Bulgaria stated that they do not accept the
abolition of the Radio and Television Fund. This is the fifth
attempt to remove it, Simov noted. He pointed out that according
 to the new proposal, the CEM will become the funds
administrator for BNT and BNR.

Simov recalled that two years ago the BSP had a proposal to make
 the Radio and Television Fund really work to guarantee the real
 independence of BNR and BNT from the government, but it never
reached the plenary hall.

In response, the Socialists' accusations after the resignation
of BNR Director General Andon Baltakov, GERB representatives
said that the only ones currently putting pressure on BNT and
BNR are the BSP and Democratic Bulgaria.

''I want to see when Baltakov was under pressure from the ruling
 party,'' said GERB MP Toma Bikov, noting that in recent months
the BNR has been behaving like an opposition media. ''We have
nothing against that, but if anyone has claims, they should come
 out and say which MP from GERB or the United Patriots has put
pressure on the BNR.''

The GERB representative reminded that the Radio and Television
Fund has never worked before, because a fee has to be collected
from citizens. ''You suggest that the state should not give the
money to the CEM and hence to the public media, but to create
another body to administer the public media,'' summarized Toma
Bikov. RI/DT