AFTER a month of strikes, demonstrations and public rallies against the previous director general of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), the present Press Director of the Atlantic Club Maxim Minchev now heads the agency after the National Assembly voted 105-50 in his favour, with 40 abstentions.
Minchev said he did not think his election was political. "I have been in the media business for 26 years working for various media organisations and I have never obeyed any party or political structures."
Minchev, former Radio Free Europe Bulgarian Section anchor, headed the state news agency as of last Thursday, replacing Stoian Cheshmedjiev who started reforms and resigned on March 18.
Minchev promised to emphasise the content of the information and appealed for retaining BTA's services abroad. "The agency should also open a bureau in Brussels in view of the country's European Union and NATO integration," he said a day prior to his election.
Minchev has also worked as deputy editor-in-chief of the Hristo Botev channel of Bulgarian National Radio. Since 1991 he has served as Press Director of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria. Minchev, who is a member of the local journalists and writers union, also took an active part in the organisation of the landmark visits of former US President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II to Sofia. He was one of the candidates for director general of BTA in October.
After he was announced new BTA director general, Minchev said he would seek every opportunity for constructive dialogue with the BTA people within his authority, and added that he will use BTA's internal resources when he recruits his future managerial team. "I am ready to take on my team - everybody is ready to support our efforts to reclaim the prestige of BTA and make sure it is among the media organisations that Bulgaria needs in the 21st century," he said.
Minchev was accused of not having experience as a news agency employee, but said that would give him something of an advantage because he is not burdened with the problems of the situation there.
At present a close associate of Foreign Minister Solomon Passi, Minchev is a member of FIJET International (Organisation of Journalists Writing about Tourism).
He is a fan of archeology, science, and NATO, and also of wine, Egyptian culture, coral reefs and the Beatles. He has taken part in visits, and international events at over 100 press centres in four continents. He has interviewed many leading world figures.
A journalist by heart and conviction, he says about himself that he is a nomad by vocation and a military expert by necessity.
"I have an epicurean spirit," he said about himself earlier to The Echo, naming his hobbies as including history, geography, archeology and photography.
Minchev said he did not think his election was political. "I have been in the media business for 26 years working for various media organisations and I have never obeyed any party or political structures."
Minchev, former Radio Free Europe Bulgarian Section anchor, headed the state news agency as of last Thursday, replacing Stoian Cheshmedjiev who started reforms and resigned on March 18.
Minchev promised to emphasise the content of the information and appealed for retaining BTA's services abroad. "The agency should also open a bureau in Brussels in view of the country's European Union and NATO integration," he said a day prior to his election.
Minchev has also worked as deputy editor-in-chief of the Hristo Botev channel of Bulgarian National Radio. Since 1991 he has served as Press Director of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria. Minchev, who is a member of the local journalists and writers union, also took an active part in the organisation of the landmark visits of former US President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II to Sofia. He was one of the candidates for director general of BTA in October.
After he was announced new BTA director general, Minchev said he would seek every opportunity for constructive dialogue with the BTA people within his authority, and added that he will use BTA's internal resources when he recruits his future managerial team. "I am ready to take on my team - everybody is ready to support our efforts to reclaim the prestige of BTA and make sure it is among the media organisations that Bulgaria needs in the 21st century," he said.
Minchev was accused of not having experience as a news agency employee, but said that would give him something of an advantage because he is not burdened with the problems of the situation there.
At present a close associate of Foreign Minister Solomon Passi, Minchev is a member of FIJET International (Organisation of Journalists Writing about Tourism).
He is a fan of archeology, science, and NATO, and also of wine, Egyptian culture, coral reefs and the Beatles. He has taken part in visits, and international events at over 100 press centres in four continents. He has interviewed many leading world figures.
A journalist by heart and conviction, he says about himself that he is a nomad by vocation and a military expert by necessity.
"I have an epicurean spirit," he said about himself earlier to The Echo, naming his hobbies as including history, geography, archeology and photography.
