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The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Thursday opened a National Press Club in Smolyan on July 13, 2023, on the eve of one of the largest festival in the Rhodope mountains, the Rozhev Fair. In his remarks after the ribbon-cutting, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev spoke about the “signs” about the new press club, including its location in a former journalists’ club, on Freedom Square. He said that the Smolyan press club will cover the municipalities of Smolyan, Banite, Borino, Devin, Dospat, Zlatograd, Madan, Nedelino, Rudozem, Chepelare – as well as one of the country’s largest skiing resorts, Pamporovo. The BTA Director General pointed out that the press club opens just ahead of the start of the Rozhen estival, which held its first edition 125 years ago and is exactly as old as BTA.

BTA has a new "home" in Smolyan after five decades of covering life in Smolyan and the Rhodope mountains by its correspondents. The BTA National Press Club is a venue for press conferences, discussions, exhibitions, for communication between media and representatives of business, politics, culture, sports.

The ribbon was cut by BTA Director General Valchev, Smolyan Regional Governor Stefan Sabrutev and Smolyan Mayor Nikolay Melemov. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of local and state authorities, heads of institutions, journalists, personalities from BTA news.

The new office will be used by the BTA’s Smolyan correspondent Hristina Georgieva.