site.btaGERB-UDF MP Bikov Stresses Need of Deep Structural Reform in Bulgarian Culture

GERB-UDF MP Toma Bikov argued Thursday that there is a need of deep structural reform in Bulgarian culture. During a meeting of the parliamentary committee on culture and media, he called for a change in funding models: "The main task for the current team is to prepare these changes this year".

Whatever funds are allocated in this budget, will not lead to a real result, Bikov argued. 

"Keep in mind that the good things in the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) started after we freed BTA from its semi-market structure that had to have subscriptions to make money, count what revenue they had and tried to keep some semi-market principle that did not benefit them or the public," the GERB-UDF MP said.

"I think that for the Bulgarian National Television and the Bulgarian National Radio this issue should not be closed. The state is involved in the public media and they, of course, are not entitled to any large, extensive advertising activity - I think it is harmful as an intermediate state. Either a media outlet should be commercial and a profit-making commercial entity, and that is its primary purpose, or it should be a public media outlet that is backed financially," he said.