site.btaBTA Director General to Student Journalism Winners: No Genuine News Without Real Journalists

BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said in Razgrad, Northeastern Bulgaria, on Friday that the world cannot have genuine news without real journalists, addressing young reporters who received top honours in the 13th National Student Journalism Competition named for local journalist Grigor Popov.

Valchev commended Razgrad Municipality for sustaining the competition through the years, noting that it inspires not only future journalists but also Bulgaria as a whole. He added that the event shows the country’s ongoing commitment to valuing the profession, following a longstanding tradition in Razgrad. Valchev pointed out that many people claim to be reporters on social media but often lack responsibility. “Media organizations have editorial responsibility, and you are about to take on a very important role,” he told the young participants. He also invited the top-awarded students to intern at BTA.

The individual grand prize went to eleventh grade student Teodora Petrakova from the student club Clio, led by Donka Radeva at the Professional School of Food Technology and Equipment in Plovdiv. The group award went to Yanitsa Hankova and Lyubomir Kolev of the Photography and Radio Journalism club at Secondary School P. R. Slaveykov in Kardzhali, led by Valentina Apostolova and Mehmed Redzheb.

Valchev emphasized that the most valuable experience participants will gain at BTA is “The World Under a Magnifying Glass.” “BTA is the media outlet that gathers news from around the world to inform Bulgarians, and conversely, tells the world about Bulgaria. You are welcome to do this at BTA,” he added.

Mayor Dobrin Dobrev also addressed the young journalists at the award ceremony, which was organized by Razgrad Municipality and the Centre for Student Technical and Scientific Creativity with support from the Regional Education Management and took place at the Prof. Iliya Petrov Art Gallery.

Earlier in the day, Valchev took part in a local conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in Razgrad. The event was part of BTA's Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project.