Bulgaria

[BG] Media Law Re-Voted

IRIS 1999-1:1/14

Gergana Petrova

Georgiev, Todorov & Co

The new Bulgarian Law on Radio and Television, which had been the subject of presidential veto ( see IRIS 1998-9: 1, 10-11) was re-voted in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Constitution and was finally adopted by the Bulgarian Parliament. The Law was promulgated and published on 24 November in the State Gazette. No significant changes have been made to the text of the Law. One of the most disputed provisions, which stipulates the total prohibition of advertisements on the National Television during the prime time until a private national TV operator is licensed, also remained unchanged and is now enforceable. That prohibition, as well as the mechanism for selecting the members of the National Council for Radio and Television (the body charged with supervising the activities of the radio and television operators), still provoke serious objections among opponents of the Law. Members of the parliamentary opposition intend to challenge some provisions of the Law before the Constitutional Court.