Young journalists explored the media’s role, artificial intelligence’s impact on journalism, public attitudes towards the EU and common European defence on Thursday during the second day of a training programme.
The programme, organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bulgaria, is being held at BTA’s MaxiM Hall.
Sociologist Parvan Simeonov of the Myara polling agency presented survey findings on what Bulgarians and Europeans expect of the European Union and how they view it, as well as Bulgarian public attitudes towards major geopolitical players.
More Bulgarians view the EU positively than negatively, Simeonov said. Over time, Bulgarians are becoming accustomed to the idea of Europe, while the EU’s positive image remains strong, he added.
The war in Ukraine has deepened some Bulgarians’ doubts about the EU, Simeonov said. He noted that Bulgarian public attitudes on a range of current issues differ from those in other EU countries.
Tackling poverty and social inequality and protecting consumer rights are among the issues that matter more to Bulgarians. They show less interest in climate change, migration and science, he said.
Simeonov also noted differences between Bulgarian and EU-wide perceptions of risks and threats. Bulgarians are less concerned about ongoing conflicts and wars near Europe than the EU average, he said. He linked this to differences in how Bulgarian society perceives Russia as a threat.
The findings also showed that Bulgarians are less concerned about terrorism, cyberattacks and the prospect of non-EU countries trying to influence elections or politics in Bulgaria. Concern about uncontrolled migration flows is high but remains slightly below the EU average.
The presentation also covered attitudes towards disinformation, false content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the protection of personal data online. Simeonov said Bulgarian attitudes on these issues also differ from those across the EU.
As a practical exercise, participants interviewed MEP Nikola Minchev (Renew Europe/Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria). Common European defence and the influence of social media were among the main topics.
“The issue of common European defence came to the fore, with discussions covering both increased defence spending and the need to spend the money more effectively,” Minchev said during a discussion moderated by Press Officer Biliana Tzarnoretchka of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bulgaria.
He stressed that European defence programmes aim to encourage production within the EU and strengthen cooperation between Member States. These initiatives offer Bulgaria opportunities both to develop its own defence industry and to work with other European countries, he said.
On social media, Minchev said European regulation should focus on how platforms operate, configure their algorithms and use so-called dark patterns, rather than on imposing blanket bans.
One of the main questions concerns the minimum age for using social media, he said. He expressed scepticism both about raising that age and about a proposal to allow children aged 13 to 16 to use the platforms with parental consent.
Journalist Monika Varbanova of the Capital newspaper discussed AI’s role in contemporary journalism and the changes it is bringing to newsrooms. She noted that AI is already widely used in journalism, from gathering information, finding and analysing documents and transcribing interviews to checking data, preparing social media content and analysing audiences.
AI is changing not only how audiences receive news but also the news content itself, she said. Articles now pass through various platforms, search engines and chatbots before reaching readers. A substantial share of traffic to news about European institutions comes through platforms such as social networks and search engines, Varbanova noted.
She also described how Capital’s newsroom uses AI to support virtually every stage of producing and distributing content. Its uses range from suggesting headlines and summarizing key points to transcribing interviews, analysing documents, translating and preparing social media posts.
Varbanova stressed, however, that the widespread use of AI does not remove the need for journalists. When a text is produced entirely using AI, this is often apparent from its vocabulary, style and structure, she said. A lack of clear human input can also undermine readers’ trust, she added.
AI can be a useful tool for journalists, particularly for processing large volumes of documents and identifying themes and patterns within them, she said. Journalists should use these capabilities to support their work while continuing to exercise their own judgement, do their own reporting and take responsibility for the content.
Varbanova also drew attention to the emergence of a new type of journalistic content geared heavily towards attracting attention on social media and generating clicks. AI makes it easier to produce content quickly with eye-catching headlines, she said, but journalists must recognize the difference between attracting attention and producing high-quality, credible journalism.
BTA’s Georgi Lozanov spoke to participants about the role of the media, European and Bulgarian media systems, and the functions of journalism.
Topics included how public opinion is formed and journalists’ role in that process, as well as whether, and to what extent, journalists can and should express their own opinions. Lozanov focused on pluralism of viewpoints and on where to draw the line when deciding which positions have a place in public debate and journalism.
He also addressed the functions of journalism, including the media’s role as a check on those in power, and the importance of professional standards. His lecture also examined the relationship between professional standards in journalism and creative freedom.
BTA Training for Young Journalists Covers AI, EU Attitudes and Common European Defence THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-01 17:59:04
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