European Broadcasting Union praised the work of Bulgaria's public service broadcasters, BNT and BNR

The directors of public service broadcasters from Central and Eastern Europe attended a meeting hosted by the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) in Sofia on September 26. The event is the first of its kind.

Noel Curran, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), praised the achievements of BNT and BNR and reiterated that they need to be better funded.

The meeting opened with a discission on the role of leadership in negotiations. Media representatives from 18 countries talked about their approaches and the difficulties they face.

"There are many countries in Central and Eastern Europe, most of which are small. Their public service brodcasters are also small and only together do we have a chance to make our voices heard. In order to overcome these challenges, it is very important to be able to synchronise our actions and unite our efforts. For me, it is a very strong sign that this meeting is taking place in Sofia", explained the Director General of BNR, Milen Mitev.

The Director General of the European Broadcasting Union stressed the key role of public service media in presenting different points of view and defending media freedom. He also commented on the achievements in Bulgaria.

"I think you are doing fantastic work, which is really very important for the Bulgarian society. The coverage you have, the regions you reach, the wide range of topics you present is remarkable. The political topics that you touch upon. This is very much in a European context. But I think that BNT and BNR need to be properly funded so that you can continue to keep your talent and develop in that direction," Noel Curran, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union said.

The impact of the European Media Freedom Act was also among the topics.

"There are mechanisms in place to strengthen the ability of public service boradcasters to make their editorial decisions in a more independent way," said the chair of the Council for Electronic Media, Gabriela Naplatanova.

One of the most important discussions was dedicated to artificial intelligence and ethical standards in its use.