site.btaBTA Opens National Press Club in Gotse Delchev

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and Gotse Delchev Mayor Vladimir Moskov signed a contract providing premises to BTA's National Press Club here on Monday. This will be BTA's 33rd press club in Bulgaria and the 43rd worldwide, including those abroad.

Valchev outlined five reasons why the National Press Club in Gotse Delchev is important. He mentioned that geography is a key factor, noting that the Blagoevgrad Region is the third largest in the country, following the Burgas and Sofia Regions. He pointed out that the four municipalities in the region are quite distant from the regional centre. Traveling by car from Gotse Delchev to Blagoevgrad takes over 1.5 hours, and from Satovcha, it takes more than 2 hours. "There is already a BTA press club in Petrich, serving the southwestern part of the region, and with the opening of the press club in Gotse Delchev, full information coverage is ensured", Valchev said.

He also emphasized the demographic factor, citing data from the National Statistical Institute, which shows that Blagoevgrad Region is the fourth most populous in the country, with a population of nearly 287,077 people. From an economic perspective, the region ranks seventh in the country in terms of GDP, Valchev noted, adding that Gotse Delchev's proximity to the Greek border and Bulgaria's entry into Schengen in 2025 open up new opportunities for development.

Valchev also pointed to the historical arguments, as the region has a thousand-year old history, with the remains of the Roman city of Nicopolis ad Nestum, founded in 106 by Emperor Trajan, located nearby. In 1951, the town was named after the revolutionary Gotse Delchev. Valchev also noted the spiritual significance of the town, as it is the only non-regional city in Bulgaria that is the centre of a diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, namely the Nevrokop Diocese, founded in 1894.

The opening of the National Press Club in Gotse Delchev will improve the information reach of the four municipalities in the Mesta River valley, providing residents with consistent news updates, Valchev concluded.