site.btaParliamentary Culture and Media Committee Passes 2016 Draft Budget

Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee Passes  2016 Draft Budget

Sofia, November 17 (BTA) - The parliamentary Culture and Media Committee Tuesday passed the 2016 draft budget. The budget outlays for culture and the media were presented by Deputy Culture Minister Boil Banov while Deputy Finance Minister Kiril Ananiev dwelled on the key parameters of the budget.

BTA Director General Maxim Minchev said that the budget allocations for the Bulgarian News Agency are insufficient and fall short of either ensuring the proper technical means for its work or increasing the salaries in BTA, which have not be changed since 2011. Minchev also noted that the international prices of information are increasing.

"We will cope, but this is not a solution," the BTA Director General said. Minchev said he was puzzled that it turns out that the Interior Ministry will no longer be providing the security of the three national state-run media, BTA, the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio. The news about this emerged at the background of the events in Paris of the past days, Minchev noted, stressing that it is not serious that the security of the three national public media is to be provided by private companies. Minchev expressed a hope that the planned change will not be voted in the budget.

Committee Chairperson Polina Karastoyanova undertook to ensure that the question is raised in the plenary chamber.