Bulgaria’s Media Regulator Reopens Contest for BNT Director General

The Council for Electronic Media (CEM) has officially reopened the competition for selecting a new Director General of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT).

During the initial vote on July 15, none of the eight candidates received the required minimum of three votes to be elected. An hour later, CEM convened again for a second round, which also failed to produce a winner. A third session was subsequently held, but again no candidate secured the necessary support. As a result, the Council declared the 2022 procedure closed and announced a new selection process.

Documents will be accepted until 12 September 2025. The hearings of the admitted candidates will be on 14 and 15 October 2025 and the vote is shceduled for 16 October 2025.

This development follows a final ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court, which overturned a decision by the Sofia Regional Administrative Court. The lower court had previously annulled the Council for Electronic Media’s (CEM) 2022 decision to terminate the selection procedure for Director General of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) in relation to seven of the candidates.