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Articles - Bulgaria

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Bulgaria

Amendments to penal code threaten free expression, says IPI

Bulgaria's Parliament has adopted changes to the penal code that have introduced jail time for journalists and writers who instigate hatred, discrimination or violence - and could be used to impose controls on the media, says the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Bulgaria

Notorious crime journalist slain

A journalist who had written articles and a book on crime figures was gunned down on 5 January in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, report the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Index on Censorship and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Bulgaria / Awards

Bulgarian journalist given new WAZ-IFJ award for her courage

The WAZ Media Group and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is honouring Bulgarian journalist Lidiya Pavlova with the "WAZ-IFJ Prize for Courage in Journalism". The award emphasises the role of independent media in "scrutinising" abuses of power.

Bulgaria

BULGARIAN JOURNALIST WINS 2007 DR. ERHARD BUSEK-SEEMO AWARD

Bulgarian Milena Dimitrova, commentator for the Sofia newspaper "Trud", is this year's winner of the Dr. Erhard Busek-SEEMO 2007 Award. Dimitrova, who holds a PhD in journalism and teaches investigative journalism at a Sofia university, has also been a reporter and presenter of a TV programme dedicated to exposing corruption, and has written for the Bulgarian weekly "168 Hours" and the daily "Debati".

Bulgaria

ATAQUE CON BOMBAS CONMOCIONA COMUNIDAD DE MEDIOS

Bulgaria

UN ATTENTAT À LA BOMBE ÉBRANLE LA COMMUNAUTÉ DES MÉDIAS

Bulgaria

BOMB ATTACK LEAVES MEDIA COMMUNITY SHAKEN

In Bulgaria, a bomb attack against a journalist known for investigating corruption has shaken the country's journalism community, report the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Bulgaria

FIP INSTA A UNA REFORMA GENUINA POR DIFUSIÓN PÚBLICA

Bulgaria

LA FIJ DEMANDE INSTAMMENT UNE VRAIE RÉFORME DE LA RADIODIFFUSION PUBLIQUE

Bulgaria

IFJ URGES GENUINE REFORM FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Bulgaria's leaders "must move quickly" to create a genuine public broadcasting system, urges the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a press release published on 7 November 2001. IFJ recently sent a delegation to the country to meet with local journalist unions and assess the current state of broadcasting.

Bulgaria

DESAFÍAN CONTROL GUBERNAMENTAL SOBRE INTERNET

Bulgaria

ON CONTESTE LE CONTRÔLE DU GOUVERNEMENT SUR INTERNET

Bulgaria

GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF INTERNET CHALLENGED

There is growing fear within Bulgaria that the government is attempting to control use of the Internet, Peter Kanev reports in the International Press Institute’s (IPI) most recent “IPI Report.” According to Kanev, Bulgaria’s Committee of Posts and Telecommunications (CPT) proposed last December that a number of new requirements be placed on Internet service providers (ISPs), through whom thousands of Bulgarians access the Internet. The statutes require ISPs to pay a fee to the CPT, a ministry agency, and to use the state-owned Bulgarian Telecommunications Company’s lines. Further, contrary to earlier announcements, CPT’s Chief Executive, Antoni Slavinski, has announced that Internet content may be scrutinized by the CPT.

Bulgaria

COALICIÓN PIDE REVISIÓN DE LEYES DE MEDIOS

Bulgaria

UNE COALITION DEMANDE LA RÉVISION DES LOIS SUR LES MÉDIAS

Bulgaria

COALITION CALLS FOR REVIEW OF MEDIA LAWS

A coalition of journalists' unions and free expression groups in Bulgaria has called for a review of the country's media laws, reports the International Press Institute (IPI). Delegates at the "Bulgarian Free Press; Fair Press" conference in Sofia on 29 and 30 April adopted a resolution calling for a review of the defamation laws and outlining recommendations for the draft Freedom of Information Act. The Committee on Culture and Media of Bulgaria's National Assembly has already proposed amendments to Articles 146/7/8 of the Penal Code which remove the penalty of going to prison for libel and defamation. However, defamation remains under the jurisdiction of the criminal rather than the civil code. With regard to access to information, the Bulgarian Media Coalition recommends that "in all laws and decisions concerning the right to obtain information, the public interest in knowing the information shall be the primary consideration."

Bulgaria

PERIODISTAS SE ENFRENTAN A CARGOS PENALES; INTERNET RESTRINGIDA

Bulgaria

RESTRICTIONS IMPOSÉES SUR L'INTERNET

Bulgaria

JOURNALISTS FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES; INTERNET RESTRICTED

Another journalist faces criminal charges based on accusations of libel and other "crimes" under Bulgarian law, report Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC). On 14 January, the prosecutor of the Republic, Ivan Tatarchev, opened a legal investigation of Tatiana Vaksberg, a journalist with the Bulgarian section of Radio Free Europe, accusing her of "attacking honour and dignity" and "insulting the authority of the state." If found guilty, the journalist faces two years in prison. Vaksberg broadcast a critical commentary about Tatarchev on 28 October 1998 suggesting he "was responsible for the impunity of many criminals in the country and might be prosecuted himself for failing to perform his duties," says RSF. WPFC says that prior to Vaksberg's report, Tatarchev had been "frequently discussed in similar terms by other news media" which were not prosecuted.