site.btaUPDATED BTA Unveils National Press Club in Athens
The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) opened a National Press Club in the Greek capital Athens on Saturday. With this, BTA now has a permanent presence in the capitals of all neighboring countries, after correspondent offices with press clubs were opened in Skopje, Bucharest, Ankara and Belgrade in recent years.
"We are unveiling the Press Club in Athens on a symbolic day for the relationship between Bulgarians and Greeks," BTA Director General Kiril Valchev underscored, noting that the opening took place on the feast day of St Constantine Cyril the Philosopher, celebrated by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on February 14. The media are called upon to bring knowledge about today, and BTA has been doing so for 128 years, he stressed, pointing out that BTA's permanent correspondents such as Ivan Lazarov in Athens provide more information.
ANA-MPA Board President Aria Agatsa also pointed out that the opening took place on the feast day of St Constantine Cyril the Philosopher. "Today is very important and emblematic, because St Cyril and his brother St Methodius were born and raised in Thessaloniki, after which they became educators of the Slavic peoples. This shows how many things unite us," Agatsa noted. She wished success in the work of the new BTA Press Club in Athens. "We are here as peoples, as journalists, to have excellent cooperation," she concluded.
Milen Mitev, Director General of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), emphasized the importance of developing correspondent networks in today's media environment. "Nothing compares to having your own sources. The best information is that which the media can gather and receive firsthand. That is why it is important for Bulgarian media to maintain well-developed correspondent networks, especially in times like today, when it is increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from manipulation," Mitev said.
Anton Andonov, member of the Management Board of Bulgarian National Television (BNT), said "this is a truly significant step, extremely beneficial for all Bulgarian media, as well as for the media landscape in our country as a whole". "BTA's initiative and the creation of new press clubs provide invaluable support for all major Bulgarian media," Andonov added, noting that it also "greatly helps the audience access genuinely verified information".
Vyara Ankova, Chief Operating Officer of Nova Broadcasting Group, welcomed the opening of BTA's National Press Club in Athens, saying: "BTA has fulfilled the dream of many journalists. BTA has always been the heart of the media." She said there has never been a Bulgarian media centre in the Greek capital, despite years of discussion and planning. She also stressed the importance of having access to verified, objective information.
Council for Electronic Media member Gabriela Naplatanova talked about her expectations that BTA's newly opened National Press Club in Athens would provide extensive coverage of a wide range of news, not only about Greece but about the Bulgarian community in Greece. She stressed that the importance of providing thorough coverage of infrastructure, transport connectivity and all of Bulgaria's joint projects with Greece.
"Today is a very good day for Bulgarian-Greek relations, whose state is currently perhaps at its peak in the last 1,000 years," said Bulgaria's Ambassador to Greece Valentin Poryazov. Today, the two countries are partners within the European Union and allies in NATO, and Bulgaria has no better ally within the EU and the region, he emphasized. "I am very glad that after about 25 years of absence of a BTA bureau, thanks to the wise leadership of BTA Director General Kiril Valchev, today we are opening this national press club," Poryazov said.
With the opening of a National Press Club in the capital of Greece, BTA is stepping firmly on the map of the Balkans, the Sofia University Rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev stated. He emphasized that the agency will thus contribute not only to the positive image of Bulgaria and the development of good neighborly relations, but also to the awareness of Bulgarian society about what is happening in the other Balkan countries.
In connection with the festive day, Greek students of the Bulgarian studies specialty of the University of Athens read a eulogy by St Clement of Ohrid to his teacher St Cyril the Philosopher. The texts were read in Church Slavonic, New Bulgarian and Greek, translated by the students, who wished success to the new Press Club.
Bulgarian basketball player Aleksandar Vezenkov congratulated BTA on the opening of its National Press Club as well. In a video message, Vezenkov expressed regret that he could not attend the opening in person.
Bulgarian national football team captain Kiril Despodov congratulated BTA on the opening of its National Press Club in Athens on Saturday. Despodov, who plays for Greek club PAOK, said in a video address: "Congratulations to the entire team, and bravo for the initiative."
Alexander the Great Centre of Greek Language and Culture in Athens also congratulated BTA, with the congratulatory address to BTA Director General Kiril Valchev wishing the agency that its new press club becomes a bridge for the exchange of information.
Jazz singer Vicky Almazidou, who was born in Dimitrovgrad to Greek parents, performed a song by Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis during the opening. "I believe that Bulgaria and Greece have always enjoyed very good relations. I hope this continues in the same spirit," she said, wishing that BTA's press club in Athens becomes a place where people from the arts, culture and politics can come together and meet.
Businessman Tomas Lafchis, former goalkeeper for Greek clubs OFI Crete and Panathinaikos, as well as former owner of FC Levski, said: "Being informed is one of the fundamentals of modern life, and I believe BTA is the institution that does it best." He said noted that, having spent many years in Greece, he believes "this is something that was sorely missing in relations between Bulgaria and Greece - to ensure people are properly informed".
The new Press Club was consecrated by Bishop Meletius of Znepol, Rector of the St John of Rila Theological Seminary of Sofia. "Today is a festive day and it is our great joy that after considerable effort the moment has come for the opening of this press club in Athens. We begin it with a prayer on a significant day for us, when the memory of St. Cyril the Philosopher is celebrated," Bishop Meletius of Znepol said as he offered a prayer for the blessing of all who will work in the new BTA press club.
As of Saturday, BTA will have 44 press clubs. Of these, 27 are located in the regional centres of Sofia, Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Haskovo, Shumen, and Yambol. There are six press clubs in the non-regional cities of Gotse Delchev, Kazanlak, Petrich, Samokov, Svishtov, and Troyan. There are nine outside the country - in Ankara (Turkiye), Athens (Greece), Belgrade (Serbia), Bosilegrad (Serbia), Bucharest (Romania), Odesa (Ukraine), Skopje (Republic of North Macedonia), and Taraclia (Moldova), and at the Bulgarian Antarctic base on Livingston Island. Two press clubs are temporary - aboard the first Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421) and the Book Fair.
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