Sofia University Rector: BTA Steps Firmly on Balkan Map With National Press Club in Athens

Sofia Georgieva, Filip Pavlov

Sofia University Rector Prof. Georgi Valchev at the opening of BTA's National Press Club in Athens, February 14, 2026 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Athens,

14.02.2026 17:33

(BTA)

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With the opening of a National Press Club in the Greek capital, BTA is stepping firmly on the map of the Balkans, the Sofia University Rector, Prof. Georgi Valchev, said at the opening of BTA's National Press Club in Athens on Saturday.

He emphasized that the news agency will thus contribute not only to the positive image of Bulgaria and the development of good neighbourly relations, but also to the awareness of Bulgarian society about what is happening in the other Balkan countries.

Valchev pointed out that it is very important for Bulgaria to have such cultural spaces, because the image the outside world forms of events in Bulgaria becomes clear, revealing both the successes and the challenges facing the country. "BTA is one of the most objective news agencies that is obliged to do exactly that," he stressed.

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.

/DD/