Author: Alexander Detev
From "Reporters Without Borders" you called on Bulgarian political parties to commit to specific reforms that would ensure media freedom in the country. "The levels of media freedom in Bulgaria are among the worst in the EU for years", you write, and the media are "vulnerable to hostile politicians, unscrupulous business interests and Russian propaganda". In this situation and with these problems, how can fair, democratic and transparent elections be held at all?
Pavol Szalai: It is adequate to raise the question of whether the elections will be fair. They are free, as they were in Hungary by the way, but Bulgaria is even lower than Hungary in our ranking. There are concerns about the fairness of the elections due to limited media freedom.
The situation in Hungary under Orbán was different, because the main reason for the country's poor ranking is his policies. In Bulgaria, it is more difficult to personify this problem, because there are different threats. But the main problem is still the same - limited access of citizens to reliable information in order to make an informed choice.
In this regard, you call on the next government to develop a national strategy to combat disinformation and propaganda, mainly coming from Russia and China. The caretaker government is working in this direction, but was sharply criticized by Rumen Radev, who is likely to win the elections because he requested support from the European Commission. Radev questioned whether there is even a hybrid intervention and threat. Does this worry you?
Pavol Szalai: Russian propaganda in Bulgaria is widespread, it is growing and is one of the main problems facing citizens and their access to information. More propaganda means less independent information.
I met with Rumen Radev as president last year during our visit to Sofia. The meeting was constructive, and we raised the issue of Russian propaganda. I can say that he has a different point of view, but I would not compare him to Orban or Fico in Slovakia. I want to say that we are not against points of view that are pro-Russian. We are against the spread of disinformation and the use of information as a weapon. Purposeful lying and interference in national policies through disinformation is propaganda.
Do you see the use of similar tools by Russia in Bulgaria?
Pavol Szalai: Yes, I see it. I am not sure how much the Kremlin supports a particular candidate, but Russian disinformation is definitely part of the election campaign. I want to emphasize that we insist on systematic measures that will put the national media, which have responsibilities before the law, and the foreign media, which are not subject to such, on the same level. We also insist on regulations of the platforms - Facebook, Google, TikTok, so that they show reliable information. The goal is to counter any propaganda, so I do not see why a democratic politician would not agree.
If it were also clear who finances the dubious sites that appeared at our press conference in Bulgaria in September, people would not be so vulnerable to propaganda. It is about supporting the truth and transparency, as I said - I do not see any democratic politician who would not agree.
You also pay attention to another disturbing case of a slap in the face - this time against Dimitar Stoyanov from Bird.bg. Bulgaria must transpose the European directive against slap cases. However, it will not protect colleagues like Stoyanov, because it only applies to cross-border cases. What should be done?
Pavol Šalai: According to the information we have, the caretaker government is working on transposition. It is very important, as you pointed out, to go beyond the minimum requirements of the directive, which only applies to cross-border cases, which are fewer. The government must implement the recommendations of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, which date back 2 years. They are very detailed. Slap cases are a plague, they are a tumor. We must prevent cases like Dimitar Stoyanov's, there are recommendations on how to do this, including by early termination of such cases or even sanctioning the complainant.
You say that the next government must work to limit media concentration. But isn't it too late? According to the latest data from GARB, the two major media groups - bTV and Nova - hold about 70% of the television market and over 90% of advertising budgets.
Pavol Szalai: It is not too late, because the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) exists. This legislation allows for two things for private media - the first is the independence of newsrooms, as well as the declaration of conflicts of interest by owners, transparency and funding. Until a year ago, before the EMA came into force, this was not the case. The other important measure is control over media concentration. For the first time in European legislation, there is an opportunity to analyze media concentration in terms of its effect on media freedom. Media are not just companies, they have the obligation to inform citizens in a pluralistic way. If concentration threatens this, measures can be taken. But still, the European Union cannot solve all of Bulgaria's problems, we also need independent regulators and a justice system. The EMFA is doing well, but its independence needs to be strengthened.
At the end of last year, we saw the removal of another prominent journalist from the screen - Maria Tsantsarova. How can this be prevented - both by legislation and by society?
Pavol Szalai: As I mentioned, the European Media Freedom Act can be used in some cases. The problems with the editorial independence of private media in Bulgaria could be such an example. But at the same time, national televisions are no longer the only option for citizens to get informed. We need to ensure the possibility of creating new media to enter the market. The example you give is such. We have seen similar developments in other countries, such as Slovakia with Michal Kovačić. Online media is growing, but we need to ensure that the economic framework allows for independent projects. This does not only concern Bulgaria and is related to the regulation of digital platforms such as Google and Facebook.
Regarding Bulgaria - I hope to see more solidarity among journalists and more willingness to defend their independence.
Do you expect the parties in the next Bulgarian parliament to invite you to discuss these proposals?
Pavol Szalai: We are ready. We believe that any reform should be carried out after consultation with local journalistic organizations and media, but also with international organizations that can provide expert examples from other countries. We believe that we have a history in Bulgaria as a country that we have been paying attention to for years. But it is all a matter of trust - before we start, we need to see a willingness to improve the state of freedom of speech. It is not only about the right of journalists to work, but also about the right of citizens to know more about corruption, about the state of the healthcare system, to be able to follow the debate on the main challenges facing society.