site.btaBTA Receives Updated LIK Typeface with Expanded EU Language Support

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) officially received an updated version of its LIK typeface during a presentation in Burgas on Wednesday, with the new version expanding support to all official European Union languages and introducing a series of technical improvements.

Speaking at the event, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said the practical use of the LIK font over the past year had revealed the need for further refinements, including improvements to the proportions of numerical characters following user feedback. He recalled that the typeface was created under an agreement between BTA and the National Academy of Arts signed in 2024 as part of the agency’s new visual identity. The font, inspired by early Cyrillic lettering traditions, is provided free of charge to public institutions, schools, universities and cultural organizations in Bulgaria.

The presentation coincided with an international conference in Burgas marking the 130th anniversary of the National Academy of Arts. Academy Rector Georgi Yankov said the updated LIK 2.0 typeface now supports all official EU languages, including Greek, after extensive additional work by the design team. He described the project as part of the Academy’s mission to preserve tradition while encouraging innovation and creative freedom.

The font’s creator, Assoc. Prof. Svetlin Balezdrov, highlighted the addition of full Greek-language support as the most significant upgrade in LIK 2.0. Developed together with students and doctoral researchers from the Academy, the update expands the font’s use in multilingual environments, including at BTA’s press club in Athens.

Deputy Chair of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Stanislav Popdonchev described the LIK typeface as an expression of Bulgarian identity and respect for the Cyrillic alphabet. He noted that the latest improvements would help broaden the font’s international use.

LIK is an original Bulgarian typeface officially registered with Bulgaria’s Patent Office and developed specifically for BTA as part of the redesign of the agency’s LIK magazine and broader visual identity.