site.bta Kiril Valchev Nominated for Second Term as BTA Director General

Members of Parliament Kostadin Angelov (GERB), Toshko Yordanov (There Is Such a People), and Mariana Boyadzhieva (BSP - United Left) have submitted a proposal for Kiril Valchev to be elected as Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The mandate of Kiril Valchev as Director General of the national news agency expires on January 27, 2026.

According to Article 12, paragraph 1 of the BTA Act, the National Assembly elects the Director General of BTA two months before the expiration of the mandate of the current Director General.

The proposal of the three MPs is accompanied by letters of support for Valchev from over 50 institutions and organizations – the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, universities, municipalities, employers, trade unions, creative unions, cultural institutions, artists, the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Here is the full list:

1. Artists’ Union
2. Association Festivals in Bulgaria
3. Association of Bulgarian Airlines
4. Association of Bulgarian Employers’ Organizations (including Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria, Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bulgarian Industrial Association, Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria)
5. Association of Bulgarian Schools Abroad
6. Association of Bulgarian Sports Federations
7. Association of Film and Television Producers
8. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
9. Bulgarian Antarctic Institute
10. Bulgarian Book Association
11. Bulgarian Library and Information Association
12. Bulgarian Medical Association
13. Bulgarian National Committee of the International Council of Museums
14. Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil
15. Bulgarian Red Cross
16. Bulgarian Theatre Association
17. Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism and European Spa Association
18. Confederation of Bulgarian Cultural Organizations and Figures Abroad
19. Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria
20. Council of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions in Bulgaria
21. Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
22. Georgi Stoykov Rakovski High School, Bolgrad, Ukraine
23. Higher Naval School – Varna
24. Hilda Kazasyan
25. I Want a Baby Foundation
26. Lili Ivanova Foundation
27. Maritime Scientific Society Association
28. Mihail, Kristina, and Konstantin Belchevi
29. Musicauthor
30. National Academy of Arts
31. National Aprilov High School – Gabrovo
32. National Association of Chairpersons of Municipal Councils in the Republic of Bulgaria
33. National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria
34. National Library of St. St. Cyril and Methodius
35. National Polytechnic Museum
36. National Tourism Board
37. PEN Bulgaria (including member writers Georgi Gospodinov, Zahari Karabashliev, Teodora Dimova, Zdravka Evtimova, Vladimir Zarev, Prof. Amelia Licheva, and others)
38. Podkrepa Confederation of Labour
39. Sofia Opera and Ballet
40. Sofia Philharmonic
41. Sofia University of St. Kliment Ohridski
42. Stage Music Association
43. Stefan Valdobrev and The Usual Suspects (Stoyan Yankulov – Stundji, Ivan Lechev, Veselin Veselinov – Eko, and Miroslav Ivanov)
44. State Cultural Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
45. The Foundation (Ivan Lechev, Dobrin Vekilov – Doni, Slavcho Nikolov, and Venko Poromanski)
46. Union of Architects in Bulgaria
47. Union of Artists in Bulgaria
48. Union of Bulgarian Composers
49. Union of Bulgarian National Electronic Media
50. Union of Chitalishte Community Centers
51. Union of Chemists in Bulgaria
52. Union of Physicists in Bulgaria
53. Union of Scientists in Bulgaria
54. University of Economics – Varna
55. University of Telecommunications and Posts

Kiril Alexandrov Valchev was born on May 24, 1973, in Sofia. In 1992, he graduated with distinction from the National High School for Ancient Languages and Cultures in Sofia and in 1998 he graduated with distinction from Sofia University of St. Kliment Ohridski, majoring in Law (Master’s degree). In 1995, he completed a professional course in radio management at Deutsche Welle in Cologne, Germany; he was a fellow in the European Leaders Program of the German Marshall Fund in the USA in 2000, and in 2003 he interned at the BBC Bulgarian Section in London, UK.

His language skills include English, Russian, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Old Bulgarian.

From 1993–1995, he worked at BTA. From 1993 to 2021, he was the author of the weekly review program The Week on Darik Radio, covering numerous events as the radio’s correspondent.

Valchev served as Secretary of the Union of Bulgarian National Electronic Media, whose members include BTA, Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian National Radio, Nova Television, and Darik Radio.

As a lawyer, he worked in media and intellectual property law. He authored publications in constitutional and commercial law and served as legal advisor to BTA, Darik Radio, and other media outlets. In 2011, he participated in drafting the BTA Act.

He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors in the media sector.

The proposal for his election for a second term as the BTA Director General recalls that after he was first elected Director General on January 27, 2021, he presented to the parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media a development program for BTA titled “The Future of BTA” for the period 2021–2025, based on his vision of continuity and renewal. The program outlined five strategic goals with operational objectives, activities, and steps to achieve them, with clear deadlines, reported annually to Parliament and approved by it unanimously.

The five strategic goals of BTA for 2021–2025 are: freedom, truth, knowledge, community and memory. Following are some key accomplishments during the outgoing term in office:

Freedom

On February 16, 2022—the date when BTA marked the 125th anniversary of its first bulletin on February 16, 1898—a new website of the agency was launched, providing free access to all its own information products. Until the adoption of this law, access was paid, and only a limited circle of people had the right to free access to BTA’s information products. Institutions and individuals (with few exceptions) paid BTA for distributing their information.

In accordance with amendments to the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Act, adopted in 2021, BTA prepared to provide full free access to its information products by designing and creating a new website, supplying new personal computer equipment for employees, conducting an analysis to determine the current state, acquiring and implementing new information and communication infrastructure, and improving the level of information security of its resources, all carried out by the systems integrator Information Services.

BTA now also has free access presence on nine social networks.

Through various investments, free access to the BTA building was ensured: a new external elevator to the National Press Club on the fourth floor was installed, a new parking lot was built, accessibility for people with disabilities was provided, and the facade was cleaned and illuminated. In 2024, BTA introduced electric vehicles for correspondents across the country and reporters in Sofia. The Newsroom at BTA headquarters in Sofia was completely renovated with a new workflow organization.

Truth

In 2022, a new BTA Code of Ethics came into effect, which includes explicit rules ensuring the accuracy of the agency’s information. The new website and new work organization allowed for a clear distinction between press releases and journalistic materials. To ensure freedom from dependencies, BTA does not publish paid messages and does not carry advertising on its website or in national press clubs, allowing advertising and sponsorship only in printed publications and events organized by BTA. Additional funding is accepted only from organizations of which Bulgaria is a member (such as the EU, NATO, UN, UNESCO, etc.). BTA began indicating in its news the specific organizers and sponsors (including companies) of events in culture, science, education, sports, as well as providing concrete data in economic news about companies and products of informational value (without commercial nature).

In 2022, the BTA School team was created, and financial support was provided for the education and external training of BTA employees.

From 2021 to 2025, BTA invested heavily in its employees. The agency introduced a new staffing structure, new career development rules, increased salaries by over 80% (against accumulated inflation of 35.8% for the period), for the first time allocated additional funds for foreign language speakers and employees working under extraordinary circumstances, began systematic additional material incentives, implemented a new policy requiring higher education for managerial positions, responsible editors, editors, reporters, and correspondents, invested significantly in continuous employee development and team renewal through internships for university students, new employee recruitment, and retirement while preserving knowledge transfer opportunities. Under a new Collective Labor Agreement, one-time payments for the birth of a child were increased from 1,200 BGN to 3,000 BGN, and, for the first time, triple the standard amount was allocated for children entering 1st and 8th grade.

Evidence of BTA’s freedom, independence, and truthfulness is its equal participation in the club of the world’s most advanced news agencies—MINDS International (Media Innovation Network), an association of 25 leading news agencies worldwide collaborating in digital media.

BTA became the headquarters, and Kiril Valchev was elected Secretary-General for two consecutive terms of the Association of Balkan News Agencies – Southeast Europe (ABNA-SEE). BTA continued to manage the organization’s website and oversee publishing one news item from each of 12 national news agencies in the Balkans and Southeast Europe: AGERPRES (Romania), ANA-MPA (Greece), Anadolu Agency (Turkey), ANSA (Italy), BTA (Bulgaria), FENA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), HINA (Croatia), KNA (Cyprus), KosovaPress (Kosovo), MIA (North Macedonia), and MINA (Montenegro).

Knowledge

From 2021 to 2025, BTA expanded the topics, territories, and formats of the over 210,000 information pieces it publishes annually.

New editorial teams with specialized services were created: LIK for knowledge and culture, Economy, Balkans, and BG World for news from and about Bulgarians abroad.

In 2021–2025, BTA tripled the number of national press clubs, accelerating openings from one every year and a half to one every month and a half, reaching 43 in total. Thirty-three are in Bulgaria: 27 in regional capitals, six in large cities that are not regional capitals (Gotse Delchev, Kazanlak, Petrich, Samokov, Svishtov, and Troyan, with a correspondent now also in Panagyurishte), and in the capitals of neighboring countries—Ankara (Turkey), Belgrade (Serbia), Bucharest (Romania), Skopje (North Macedonia), with a planned opening in Athens (Greece), in foreign regions with large Bulgarian communities—Bosilegrad (Serbia), Odessa (Ukraine), Taraclia (Moldova), as well as at the Bulgarian base “St. Kliment Ohridski” on Livingston Island in Antarctica and aboard the Bulgarian naval research ship Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii, and at book fairs across the country.

BTA updated its contracts with global agencies and acquired rights to provide free access to Bulgarian translations of their news on its website.

BTA signed partnerships for free daily news exchange with 50 national agencies worldwide.

Information coverage from special BTA correspondents for significant global events and those involving Bulgarians increased, with a focus on the Balkans and Bulgarian communities abroad.

BTA joined the European Newsroom in Brussels alongside other European news agencies, funded by the European Commission.

BTA expanded the English-language content on its new website with sections for Politics, Economy, Culture, Sports, BG World, the Balkans, BTA's Archives, specialized columns, and special English-language products (e.g., the Daily News bulletin and Media Review).

The number of BTA photos and videos increased ninefold compared to 2020. Infographics were introduced.

BTA began organizing “BG Tourism” forums ahead of tourist seasons to promote Bulgaria as a destination, with participation from state and municipal institutions, tourism businesses, NGOs, scholars, and experts.

Community

BTA continued to serve as a bridge for Bulgarians worldwide with the permanent section BG World, increasing contacts with Bulgarian organizations, schools, and notable Bulgarians abroad, and covering their events through special correspondents. In 2024, over 8,000 news items were published in “BG World,” up from 243 in 2021.

BTA organized events in national press clubs in Odessa, Taraclia, Bosilegrad, Skopje, Bucharest, Ankara, and Belgrade in support of the Bulgarian community.

BTA continued organizing World Meetings of Bulgarian Media: in Rila Monastery and Kyustendil in 2021, in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in 2022, in Kazanlak in 2023, in Odesa, Bolgrad, and Izmail in 2024, and in Sofia, Klisura Monastery, and Varshets in 2025.

Memory

In 2023, BTA celebrated its 125th anniversary. Three books were prepared on 125 years since the first BTA bulletin, published jointly with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences by BAN Publishing House “Marin Drinov”—“Personal Testimonies,” “History of BTA 1898–2023,” and “True News – Events from BTA Archives 1898–2023.” A commemorative coin from the Bulgarian National Bank Mint and a postage stamp from Bulgarian Posts were issued. The anniversary was marked by a gala concert at Bulgaria Hall in Sofia by the Sofia Philharmonic conducted by Emil Tabakov, featuring only Bulgarian composers, and a concert for BTA employees by the Big Band of Bulgarian National Radio and the band “Fondatsiyata,” following a seminar in Bansko with visiting members of the leaderships of MINDS International, European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA), European Newsroom, and ABNA-SEE.

A project for digitizing BTA’s specialized archives and reference funds began. New archival repositories with precise climate control and shelving systems were completed. A “BTA Reading Room”—an information center in Sofia—was established.

From July 1, 2023, a fully electronic document management system for paperless workflow became operational.

An integrated project idea, The World of News – Sofia, was developed for energy renovation of the BTA building and the creation of a public recreational area in front of the agency, approved in February 2025 and included in the final list of prioritized project ideas of Sofia Municipality under the “Regional Development Program 2021–2027,” also approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.

BTA joined the European Commission initiative “New European Bauhaus” to create more beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive forms of joint living.

BTA achieved an integrated identity, creating a new design department. The National Academy of Arts (NAA) designed a new custom Cyrillic font for BTA (LIK), based on the letters of Saints Cyril and Methodius from the 9th century, which BTA provides freely to all public institutions in Bulgaria.

BTA's monthly magazine for literature, art, and culture, LIK, resumed publication with a new design proposed by NAA students. It began being presented with guest participation at all 43 national press clubs.

BTA initiated the placement of memorial plaques for famous Bulgarian journalists worldwide, such as writer Aleko Konstantinov at Odesa University in Ukraine, Atanas Dalchev at the General Consulate in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Lyuben Karavelov at the General Consulate in Belgrade, Serbia.

BTA signed an agreement with Bulgarian National Television (BNT) and Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) for the joint initiative “14 Centuries of Bulgaria in Europe” to commemorate significant milestones in Bulgarian history up to 2032, marking 1,400 years since the establishment of the first Bulgarian state formation in Europe—Old Great Bulgaria in 632.