Bulgarian Nationalist Party Stops Newspaper, TV Station May Follow Suit

Nationalist leader Volen Siderov has announced that the "Ataka" newspaper stops publication as of January 04. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria's nationalist Ataka, which is on the brink of survival with a borderline total headcount of 10 MPs, is about to close the party mouthpieces, the "Ataka" newspaper and the Alfa TV station launched in September 2011.

On Wednesday, nationalist leader Volen Siderov announced in "Ataka"'s editorial office that publication stopped as of January 04 due to the lack of financing, the party's press office told news portal dnevnik.bg.

There were no issues of the "Ataka" newspaper during the Christmas and New Year holidays, which which will last until January 10 for MPs.

On Wednesday, the newspaper was stopped.

Journalists from "Ataka", accompanied by the nationalist leader, will hold a press conference on Thursday on the topic of "Who/ Why Got "Ataka" and Alfa Stopped", the party's press office added.

On December 21, Ataka MP Ventsislav Lakov attributed the departure of 4 MPs to plans to hit the party's official mouthpieces, the "Ataka" newspaper and the Alfa TV station, which he said were the only media outlets to air coverage of its stance.

Lakov explained that one MP brought BGN 17 000 in state subsidies per month, meaning that Ataka's parliamentary group would lose BGN 200 000 in three months, if the four renegade MPs decided to redirect the money to another formation.

The nationalist party voiced suspicions that the state subsidies for the four MPs would go to center-right ruling party GERB.

On the dame day, Ataka, which was to hold a party congress, was hit by a bomb threat alert at its headquarters.

Desislav Chukolov, Deputy Chair of Ataka, termed the occurrence a provocation staged by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

The nationalist party's Deputy Chair claimed that Borisov and Tsvetanov were executing the "mandate of US Ambassador James Warlick for the eradication of Ataka".

The "Ataka" newspaper was launched in 2005 and was soon placed under the leadership of Volen Siderov's wife, Kapka Siderova.

She was dismissed after her son, Dimitar Stoyanov, demanded the resignation of the nationalist leader, which in its turn led to his removal from the post of Deputy Chair of the party.

The Alfa TV station will not be stopped at this stage but there will be staff cuts, as well as changes to the program, Ataka's press office announced.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!