site.btaUniversity Rector: Books about BTA Exemplify How Institution's History Should Be Presented

In an exclusive interview for BTA on Wednesday, New Bulgarian University (NBU) Rector Prof. Plamen Doynov said that journalist Panayot Denev and BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, as well as everyone who took part in the creation of History of BTA (1898 - 2023), exemplified how the history of an institution of information and knowledge such as BTA should be presented in text. Doynov attended Wednesday's presentation of the book's two volumes to students, faculty and staff.

Doynov praised the approach of dividing BTA's story into two volumes – one dedicated to the Agency's objective history and the other presenting personal stories shared by current and former BTA employees. The NBU Rector also spoke about the dialogue between the NBU students and staff, which was inspired by Denev, who told them about the process of constructing and editing the books through the BTA archives.

According to Doynov, success is often rooted in principles of honest and professional journalism, which are part of BTA's foundations. He said: "The truth is that in recent years an unpleasant, I would call it cynical, view of the work of the journalist has more or less developed. This cynical view, thanks to the continuous bad example set by yellow journalism, various social networks, the epidemic of fake news, gives the impression that this is, almost, a vile, venal craft. Which it is not." He proceeded to praise the Agency for its traditional professionalism and integrity, which help combat the onslaught of vulgarity.

At Wednesday's meeting at NBU, Valchev said that there will be three volumes dedicated to the history of the Agency. The first is absolutely subjective, comprised of personal stories. The second is completely objective, as it was cleared of any opinions and assessments, thanks also to the editorship of Professor Dr Roumiana Preshlenova, Director of the Institute of Balkan Studies and Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The third volume will present two historical facts from each of the 125 years since BTA's establishment. On page will feature a story from Bulgaria, while the opposite page will have a story from the world, Valchev said.

Valchev stated that the most important thing that should be preserved in BTA is objectivity, which can be done following two basic rules: First, always present the source of information behind the story. Second, avoid all subjective opinions.

The BTA Director General said: "The LIK magazine has been restored and will not be sold this year but will be distributed free of charge in universities and other institutions. It will be published electronically on BTA's website."

Valchev and Denev shared that 200 confidential issues of the magazine were published between February 16, 1898, and early February, 1990, which were only distributed to particular persons. Valchev was adamant that having hidden pages and dividing the information for those who should and should not read it must never be allowed again.

Denev criticized the Communist Party in Bulgaria for using BTA and other mass media for spreading propaganda between 1946 and 1990. He pointed out that Lozan Strelkov, who was BTA Director General between 1962 and 1981, while being extremely progressive for the time, did allow this propaganda to take place.

Denev spoke about two shameful instances in BTA's history, when the Agency reported on an issue too late. One was the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. BTA remained silent for the first two days, as the reporter on night duty was forbidden from reading the publications by western agencies such as Reuters, the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. "The other case where the agency is shamefully silent is AIDS. For four years, the world was aware of some very scary evil, a very scary thing. In Bulgaria, nobody knew," Denev said. In the fourth year, four Bulgarian sailors came home after a long voyage and died soon after. That was the first time HIV was mentioned in Bulgaria.