site.btaEuropean Media Freedom Act Discussed at Sofia Forum

Sofia on Tuesday hosted a conference titled The European Media Freedom Act – a Framework for Independence and Pluralism in the European Union, organized by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM). The event brought together government officials, media regulators, and leaders from both public and private media to discuss the implementation and impact of the Act on Bulgaria’s media landscape.

Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, said that democracy does not exist without a free press. She emphasized that independent media are essential not only for democratic governance but also for economic growth, as trust in journalism attracts investors and stimulates society. Chobanova highlighted European Commission initiatives, including the European Democracy Action Plan and the AgoraEU program, as measures to safeguard media freedom. She stressed that journalists must be protected from pressure and dependencies, with legal safeguards provided under the European Media Freedom Act.

Simona Veleva, Chair of the Council for Electronic Media emphasized that the European Media Freedom Act places independent, pluralistic, and professional journalism at the center of a free society. She noted the Act’s guarantees against political interference, requirements for transparent ownership, and mechanisms to protect editorial autonomy. She affirmed that CEM, as Bulgaria’s media regulator, actively upholds these principles daily.

Dimitar Nikolov, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media, noted that in a rapidly evolving media environment, content remains more important than platform. He stressed that freedom of speech requires responsibility and lamented the fragmented media landscape and underpaid job of journalists. He pledged to work toward a stable regulatory framework to strengthen the media sector within cultural policy and industry.

Ashot Kazaryan, Deputy Culture Minister, underlined that freedom is the foundation of a democratic society and that the state must protect both media freedom and the public interest. He highlighted the Ministry of Culture’s efforts in implementing legislation related to the European Media Freedom Act, including more than 15 working-group meetings. He noted the importance of translating legislative decisions into practical actions that support responsible journalism.

Anna Tanova, Executive Director of Association of Bulgarian Radio and Television Operators (ABRO) described the European Media Freedom Act as a regulation with direct effect in Bulgaria, while also offering a framework requiring national action. She emphasized the need for industry experts to be included in the legislative process and highlighted ABRO’s role as a bridge between the media sector and the electronic media regulator. Tanova noted that the Act introduces free economic initiative for media services, providing a guarantee for editorial and service freedom.

Kiril Valchev, Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), stressed the importance of investing in journalists’ skills and salaries to protect what he called “natural intelligence” in the media. He highlighted AI and social media as opportunities, not threats, for media outlets to reach audiences responsibly. Valchev outlined BTA’s plans to integrate AI ethically into content creation and emphasized policies to ensure public and private media can operate sustainably, transparently, and with editorial independence.

Anton Andonov, Board Member of Bulgarian National Television (BNT), pointed out that the challenges facing public and private media are both shared and distinct. He recalled past attempts to amend Bulgaria’s Radio and Television Act and said that the European Media Freedom Act will reshuffle rules and relationships in the sector. While acknowledging that no single document can solve all problems, he stressed the importance of having a framework that addresses gaps left by previous inaction.

Dimitar Abrashev, Board Member of Bulgarian National Radio, likened media freedom to air – invisible yet essential, and said while many say it exists, very few really feel it. He said that the European Media Freedom Act cannot protect freedom by itself: people do, through principles and courage. Reflecting on BNR’s history, he recalled times when journalists had to choose between silence and integrity. Abrashev concluded that journalism’s dignity, accountability, and role as society’s conscience remain the ultimate guarantees of media freedom.

Gospodin Yovchev, CEO of bTV Media Group Ltd., said that high standards for protecting media independence, ownership transparency, and guaranteeing pluralism are linked to the messages of media professionals: that freedom of speech is a fundamental value that must be defended daily. "As a media outlet, we are called to uphold this value with professionalism, consistency, and courage," Yovchev noted. 

Elena Velkova, Director of Law, Compliance, and Human Resources at Nova Broadcasting Group Ltd., said that the European Media Freedom Act sounds promising, but also very challenging. "Several questions arise, such as whether we will find a unified definition of a media service, whether information on the ultimate owners of media outlets will find its proper place, or whether it will continue to be scattered across different registers," Velkova said.

The conference continued with three panels. The first focused on protecting media freedom and journalists, editorial independence, and quality journalism. The second panel addressed media ownership transparency and the optimization of media registries. The third part of the conference covered issues related to the funding and independence of public media; transparency and allocation of state funding; the activities and functions of the European Board for Media Services (EBMS); and audience rights.