site.btaParliamentary Media Committee Chair Kutev: Leaders Should Not Swim Against Tide of Public Processes

Addressing the 9th International Summer Leadership Academy here on Saturday, Anton Kutev, Chair of the parliamentary Committee on Culture and Media, said that leaders should not swim against the tide of social processes, but rather understand the direction in which society is moving and how to achieve their goals within that context. The forum, titled  “Leadership Beyond Algorithms: From Data to Decisions”,  was organized by the University of Telecommunications and Post (VUTP).

According to Kutev, one of the most important qualities of a successful leader is the ability to recognize social processes and act in harmony with them. He compared politics and public life to a large river, formed by a multitude of interests, motivations, and attitudes. “If you swim against the current, sooner or later you will lose. It is important to know where the river is flowing and where you want to go,” Koutev noted.

In his view, leadership is not measured by the number of hours worked, but by an understanding of processes and the ability to organize effectively. As an example, he cited conversations with representatives of the executive branch who strive to work 15 hours a day. In his view, if a leader is constantly forced to compensate with personal effort, this is often a sign that the system is not functioning effectively.

Kutev also addressed the role of communication and public relations. In his view, good PR is not merely a reflection of reality, but a tool for changing it. He encouraged students to create content and to look for concrete actions behind public messages. The Media Committee Chair highlighted the changes in the media landscape over the past decades. In his words, the traditional news model, in which coverage of specific events and actions took centre stage, has gradually given way to an environment where statements themselves often become the news.

According to him, successful leadership requires concrete actions that are recognizable to the public through clear public messages and symbolic gestures. As an example, he cited US President Donald Trump’s first decisions after taking office, which, in his view, combined specific policy actions with a clear communicative impact.

During the meeting, Kutev also spoke about his participation in Rumen Radev’s communications team during his first presidential campaign. He noted that the candidate’s limited media presence was a deliberate strategy that helped generate strong public interest in his candidacy.

In response to a question about so-called “black PR,” Kutev stated that such tools can be effective only in limited and specific situations. He further commented that one of the serious problems facing Bulgarian politics is the presence of political anti-selection, which, in his view, hinders the emergence of sufficiently high-quality leadership.

The students also asked questions related to the development of artificial intelligence. Kutev expressed the view that new technologies will lead to the elimination of a number of professions and may discourage people from reading books. At the same time, he emphasized that technological progress should not be rejected, but must be accompanied by the preservation of moral values.

The International Summer Leadership Academy is an annual event that brings together undergraduate and graduate students from various Bulgarian universities, who exchange ideas and experiences with representatives from academia, business, government, and the media. The forum is aimed at developing leadership skills, strategic thinking, and decision-making abilities in a dynamic professional and social environment. This year's edition is held under the President's auspices and is part of the events marking the 145th anniversary of the founding of the University of Telecommunications and Post.