site.btaDecember 14, 1897: Bulgarian News Agency Is Established by Princely Decree

One hundred and twenty-eight years ago on Sunday, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) was established by Decree No. 150, issued by Prince Ferdinand I on December 14 (New Style December 26), 1897), as an international-news-wire delivery service. Initially designated “Division of Press and of the Library”, the agency was part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship.

BTA’s founding instrument - the Rules of Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship, was promulgated in the State Gazette No. 288 of December 31, 1897 (New Style January 12, 1898).

Order No. 28, issued on January 27/February 8, 1898 and gazetted on February 24/March 8, 1898, made public the establishment of the Bulgarian News Agency and the appointment of its first director, Oskar Iskender, with an annual salary of 5,580 leva.

The news agency celebrates its birthday on February 16 - the date in 1898 (New Style February 28) when it put out its first news bulletin, hand-written by Iskender himself.

Following is a translation of relevant excerpts from the original text of the princely decree and the Rules that it endorsed:

DECREE No. 150

WE, FERDINAND I,

By the Grace of Good and by the Will of the People

Prince of Bulgaria,

Further to the proposal by our Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship, made to use by his report of November 12 this year under No. 12700,

Have decreed and do decree:

I. To endorse as hereinbelow set forth:

Rules of Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship.

Chapter I.

General Dispositions.

Article 1. The Head Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship shall consist of:

(a) Central Administration;

(b) Diplomatic Department;

(c) Department of Commercial Agents;

(d) Department of Public Worship (Article 42 of the Constitution and the Statute of the Exarchate).

These departments shall be placed under the authority of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship, who shall have supreme governance and shall exercise control over international intercourse.

Article 2. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship shall hold the following exclusive prerogatives: to direct the intercourse of Bulgaria with other States, to conduct negotiations for the conclusion of treaties and conventions of any nature whatsoever with foreign States, and to interpret the said treaties and conventions.

Chapter II.

Central Administration.

Article 3. The Central Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship shall consist of:

(a) Secretariat General;

(b) Directorate of Diplomatic Correspondence and Ceremonial;

(c) Political Division;

(d) Commercial Division and Chancellery;

(e) Division of Press and of the Library;

(f) Division of Public Worship;

(g) Accounting Division.

[…]

Division of Press and Library

Article 14. The Division of Press and of the Library shall be engaged with a review of the newspapers and of the periodical magazines and in general with the discharge of all duties provided for in Order No. 46 (Annex C).

With regard to the library, the Division of Press and of the Library shall comply with the existing rules for this purpose (Annex D).

[…]

II. These Rules shall enter into force as from the date of the publication thereof in the State Gazette.

We entrust the execution of this Decree to our Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship.

Issued at Our Palace in Sofia, this 14th day of December 1897.

The original signed in His Royal Highness’s own hand:

Ferdinand.

Countersigned by: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Worship,

Dr Konstantin Stoilov.