Burgas, December 6 (BTA) - The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) opened its National Press Club in Burgas on Monday, the day of St. Nicholas and of the city, adjacent to the buildings of the Municipality and the District Administration. The newest press club of the agency was opened by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. Among the official guests were Regional Governor of Burgas Maria Neykova, Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov, the rector of Burgas Free University, Prof. Galya Hristozova, representatives of the business, academia, culture, other institutions, and journalists.

BTA's local correspondent office was opened on October 19, 2003 at 14 Metropolitan Simeon street, and 18 years later, after major repairs and re-equipment, the office was completely transformed into a national press club of the agency with a hall for press conferences and other events.

Apart from providing a wide platform for free speech, debates, round tables and conferences, the press club will continue to function as a source of current news from all over the Burgas region.

BTA already has 17 press clubs in Bulgaria - in addition to Burgas, the agency has media centres in Sofia, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Dobrich, Kazanlak, Kyustendil, Lovech, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Shumen, Blagoevgrad, Ruse, and two centres abroad - in Bosilegrad, Serbia, and in Taraclia, Moldova.

The press clubs are part of the agency's policy united under the BTA National Press Club brand. They are a preferred place for communication between the media and representatives of business, politics, culture, sports. They organize press conferences, discussions, exhibitions, and other events where institutions, organizations and citizens can send messages and announce news from the region, which reach the national level through BTA, and the international - through its English service department.

The goal of BTA Director General Valchev is to have a press club in every regional city in this country.

The agency's plans include turning the press clubs into a space for the exchange of professional experience between representatives of the various media in the city with regular meetings, as well as for training to improve the skills of journalists.

/MT/

Source: Burgas