Heads of Bulgaria’s Public Service Broadcasters Call for More Funding for Salaries at BNT, BNR and BTA

The directors-general of Bulgaria’s three public media organisations have called on the government to provide higher salaries at Bulgarian National Television (BNT), Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

At a meeting of Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Media, the budgets for this year of the Ministry of Culture and the three national media organisations were approved.

According to Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev, the ministry’s budget amounts to €267 million, which is just over €33.3 million more than last year.

During the meeting, BNT Director-General Milena Milotinova highlighted the high level of public trust in the national broadcaster. She added that the funding rate per hour of programming had been increased by €50, but said this was far from sufficient. She also noted that BNT’s audience ratings continue to rise.

Milena Milotinova, Director-General of BNT:

"According to a survey by the Council for Electronic Media on election campaign coverage, BNT ranked first in terms of trust, with more than 50% of respondents expressing confidence in us. We were also the leading choice for objective and impartial coverage of campaign events, with a significant lead over the other two television broadcasters combined.

"Meanwhile, as Bulgaria’s participant in the Eurovision 2026 competition, BNT won the right to host the event in 2027, raising the country’s international profile. Alongside our reputation and public trust, our most valuable resource is our people, and they deserve fair remuneration for the work they do and the responsibility they carry."

Photos: BTA