Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) Director General Kiril Valchev briefed 24 foreign diplomats on BTA’s strategic aims during an induction seminar organized by the Diplomatic Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at BTA’s Maxim Hall on Wednesday.
BTA is Bulgaria’s oldest national media organization still operating under its original name, founded in 1898 by decree of Ferdinand. Its first bulletin was issued on February 16, 1898, Valchev said.
BTA maintains cooperation agreements with 22 European agencies from the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) and has extended collaboration offers to nine additional agencies. In 2022, BTA became a member of MINDS International, a global association of 26 leading news agencies focused on mobile news services.
Valchev has identified freedom, truth, knowledge, community, and memory as the central priorities for his five-year mandate.
Since February 16, 2022, BTA’s news has been available free of charge. In 2024, BTA has published 211,750 news items, 254,659 photographs, and 6,200 video materials, with these figures increasing steadily since 2020. Media outlets may use news content and designated photographs, provided BTA is cited as the source. Valchev noted that paid access is required for third-party copyright-protected and archival materials, in accordance with BTA’s statutory regulations.
BTA operates active profiles on Facebook and TikTok and produces its own podcast in Bulgarian language, “BTA Parallels.”
During the seminar, Valchev noted that BTA follows established rules to ensure the reliability of its information. The agency applies specific standards to both the format and content of its freely distributed news, as well as to the ethical behavior of its staff. Press releases and journalistic content are clearly separated. BTA does not publish advertisements on its website, Valchev said in his presentation.
The agency operates 43 national press clubs that also function as correspondent offices. Of these, 27 are located in provincial centers, six in major towns outside these centers, and others in the capitals of neighboring countries such as Ankara, Belgrade, Bucharest, and Skopje. An office is planned in Athens by the end of the year. BTA maintains a presence in regions abroad with significant Bulgarian communities, including Bosilegrad, Odesa, and Taraclia, as well as at the St Kliment Ohridski base on Livingston Island, Antarctica, and on board the Bulgarian research vessel Sts Cyril and Methodius.
Valchev said that the 20th World Meeting of Bulgarian Media, organized by BTA, began in Sofia on May 24. Last year’s event took place in Ukraine, in Odesa, Bolhrad, and Izmail. He mentioned that the Bulgarian community in the Odesa region numbers over 150,000, making it the third largest ethnic group in the area. BTA media events in Taraclia and Odesa also provide support and information to Bulgarians experiencing challenges abroad.
He noted the importance of these world media gatherings, initiated in 2005 by longtime BTA director Maxim Minchev, in fostering a sense of community among Bulgarian journalists both domestically and internationally. To date, BTA has organized 20 such events, with the most recent held in Sofia and Varshets. BTA Director General Valchev Outlines Agency’s Strategy to Foreign Diplomats THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-10-15 12:54:26 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
