site.btaElection of BNT Director General Not Suspended, Council for Electronic Media Says Amid Legal Disputes

The new procedure for electing Director General of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) has not been suspended, the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) told BTA on Monday. According to CEM member Prolet Velkova, the Administrative Court ruled in favour of the complainant solely regarding the preliminary enforcement of the decision.

“The procedure is ongoing. It has not been cancelled. Only the preliminary enforcement has been suspended,” Velkova said.

The Sofia Region Administrative Court has annulled as unlawful CEM’s July 15 decision to permit preliminary enforcement of its move to terminate the procedure for electing a new BNT Director General, according to a ruling issued on August 1.

This decision is one of four rulings issued by the court in response to legal challenges against CEM’s actions in the election process. The court temporarily suspended the preliminary enforcement of CEM’s decisions pending a final ruling on their legality.

The August 1 ruling stems from a complaint filed by one of the candidates in the election. In a separate but related case brought by the same plaintiff, the court declared null and void the part of CEM’s decision that launched the election procedure for BNT’s new head, specifically the provision allowing preliminary enforcement.

In a third ruling, triggered by a complaint from another candidate in the earlier procedure, the court again suspended the preliminary enforcement of CEM’s decision to halt the procedure, pending a final ruling on its legality.

A fourth ruling, also initiated by the second plaintiff, similarly declared invalid the part of a CEM resolution launching the election process that authorized preliminary enforcement.

All four rulings are subject to appeal within seven days.