Bulgarian President Plevneliev pushes debate on media monopolies
Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev is continuing to push the issue of media monopolies, putting them on the agenda of a “month of political consultations” that he intends holding in February 2014 with all parties represented in the 42nd National Assembly.
Plevneliev became head of state in January 2012 and launched the annual “month of political consultations” project at the time.
Amid Bulgaria’s continuing severe political tensions, the role of media monopolies is a key issue, and the problem is compounded by an effective lack of transparency about media ownerships.
In turn, for many Bulgarians it was Delyan Peevski’s link to a massive media-owning outfit that contributed to much of the outrage about Peevski’s June 2013 abortive appointment as head of the State Agency for National Security.
Currently, a significant pile of media outlets – print, broadcast and online – are in hands that push a pro-government agenda and seek to discredit opposition inside and outside Parliament. Further, there are significant overlaps between major media and non-media corporate interests.
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