Star Actor Political Nomination Jeopardizes Bulgaria's Hit TV Series

The nomination of Bulgarian star actor and former Culture Minister, Stefan Danailov, to run as vice president on the Socialist ticket was announced by the Bulgarian Socialist Party on Monday. File photo by BGNES

The nomination of Bulgarian star movie and theater actor Stefan Danailov to run for vice president on the Socialist ticket is jeopardizing the fate of the hit TV series Glass Home.

The nomination of Danailov to run for the presidential office along with former Foreign Affairs Minister and current Member of the European Parliament, Ivaylo Kalfin, was announced by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, on Monday.

Danailov, Culture Minister in the Socialist-led Cabinet in 2005-2009, is also known both for his roles in emblematic movies from the communist period, and most recently for being one of the leads in the series "Staklem Dom" ("Glass Home") - considered the most successful series made so far for Bulgarian TV.

The new season of the series, which is aired on the largest private TV channel bTV, during prime time once a week, is coinciding with the official election campaign between September 23 and October 23, when Bulgarians will vote in local and presidential elections.

This new season raises the issue if it is legal to place Danailov in a privileged position, compared to other runners, by featuring him in a star role every week along with a large number of commercials about the series, aired almost daily.

The Bulgarian Dnevnik daily cites the management of bTV saying they have a solution, but declining to reveal details.

According to the Radio and TV Act, any interference in their program line-up can be considered censorship.

The Chair of the Council for Electronic Media, CEM, Georgi Lozanov, on his part, told Dnevnik that the issue was very debatable and there were arguments both for airing the series and stopping it.

"At the end, a product, which was not planned as a political one, turned to be political one day ago and this is not at all the fault of the TV channel. On the other hand side, if they wish to be correct, they could postpone the airing for after the elections, but this immediately triggers the issue of financial losses and program line-ups," Lozanov is quoted stating.

CEM will debate the issue Wednesday, but still cannot have any effective decision, because the law has not provided a ban in such cases, according to the CEM Chair.

In June, CEM proposed to the largest private media outlets to sign a memorandum for political pluralism, which was rejected by them. The idea was to guarantee equal conditions for featuring political candidates.

Meanwhile, the Central Election Commission, CEC, said they would not take a stand on the issue. Their decision about the election campaign notes that media, except the State-owned ones – the Bulgarian National Television, BNT, and the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, can provide broadcast time under the same conditions and prices, which must be reflected on their official internet sites by September 12. They could examine the case only if someone officially requests it.

BSP have told Dnevnik there was no reason to stop the series, adding either way – it would be good for them, because even if it is stopped, everyone would talk about it.

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