The Bulgarian political party VMRO organized a protest in front of the Council for Electronic Media (CEM) building against the establishment of a Turkish-language regional program on Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and demanded the resignation of its director, Radoslav Yankulov, and the president of the CEM, Georgi Lozanov.

Political pressure

In attendance during the protest was MEP Angel Dzhambazki and the leader of VMRO, Krasimir Karakachanov. The protesters stormed the meeting of the regulator and stayed until its end in an attempt to intimidate the CEM members, raising banners with offensive content over their heads and hindering their work in front of television cameras.

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) had never before observed such a collapse in the work of the body, which is supposed to be an independent media regulator. It is absolutely unacceptable that CEM works under the dictation of this pro-government party with a neo-totalitarian bent, instead of taking into account the interests and rights of all minorities as well as international standards for the protection of freedom of speech. Apparently, the political pressure exercised by representatives of a manifestly anti-minority xenophobic party, supported by those in power, could prevent the CEM from doing so.

Protest or harassment?

BHC defends the right to protest of all Bulgarian citizens. However, this can not apply to a protest that is a harassment by its essence and an attempt to intimidate and interfere with the work of the independent body in an unacceptable manner.

BHC calls on the media outlets and NGOs dealing with freedom of expression and human rights both in Bulgaria and abroad to condemn this unprecedented pressure, before such acts become trivialized.

BHC also calls on the Bulgarian authorities to prevent pressure from pro-government groups over the media regulator. The police should take up their duties and ensure the independent operation and orderly proceedings of CEM's sittings.