BTA Team Marks 127 Years with Music and Excellence Awards

Kaloyan Kirilov

Stefan Valdobrev and The Usual Suspects performing at the 127th anniversary of the Bulgarian News Agency, Intercontinental Hotel, Sofia, February 16, 2025 (BTA Photo/Minko Chernev)

Sofia,

17.02.2025 08:45

(BTA)

The team at the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) celebrated the national news agency 127th anniversary in the late hours of Sunday.

At a party in the heart of Sofia, BTA staff enjoyed a performance by soloists from the Bulgarian National Radio Big Band, featuring Dimitar Shanov on bass guitar, Petar Momchev on saxophone, Atanas Miladinov on piano, Stefan Kozhuharov on drums, and Ventsislav Blagoev on trumpet. After their set, Stefan Valdobrev and The Usual Suspects took the stage, playing their greatest hits and songs from their latest album.

Forty-two agency employees, including journalists, administrators, and technical staff, were honoured with certificates and plaques named after Oscar Iskander, the first director of BTA. The awards were given by the agency's Director General, Kiril Valchev, to recognize those who exceeded expectations in 2024, based on BTA's standards for professionalism, dedication, and skills, which inspire the entire team.

February 16 marks 127 years since the agency's first bulletin, handwritten by Oscar Iskander. BTA celebrated the anniversary by unveiling a reading room for archives, its own font, and a renovated newsroom.

/KT/