Bulgarian National Television Gets New Leadership as Milotinova Replaces Koshlukov

Milena Milotinova has been appointed the new Director General of Bulgarian National Television (BNT) following a vote by the Council for Electronic Media (CEM). Her election, supported by three of the five council members, concludes a long series of delayed competitions and legal appeals that kept Emil Koshlukov in office beyond his term. Koshlukov, who also ran in the latest selection, received only a single vote in his favor, while other candidates, including Sasho Yovkov and Svilena Dimitrova, failed to secure enough support or were disqualified.

CEM Chairwoman Simona Veleva indicated that Milotinova’s election was the result of a compromise after it became clear that she was the only candidate able to gain the required majority. Other council members, including Gabriela Naplatanova and Kudrinka Kudrinka, also endorsed Milotinova, praising her concept for BNT’s development. Prolet Velkova supported Nevena Andonova, highlighting her vision, while Galina Georgieva criticized the process as flawed and politically influenced. Appeals against the decision are possible within 14 days, though Milotinova’s appointment takes effect immediately.

Milotinova, born in Sofia in 1968, is a seasoned journalist with more than three decades of experience at BNT. She started as a reporter in 1990 and became host of the central news program “Around the World and at Home” from 1992. She has produced over ten documentaries on Bulgarian and regional issues, including “Chronicle of a National Betrayal” and works on the political history of the Pirin region and the Macedonian question. Her career also includes international media experience with the BBC and NBC.

In addition to her journalism career, Milotinova served as a member of the 39th National Assembly from 2001 to 2005, chairing the Media Commission and participating in the Bulgarian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Currently, she hosts the show “Brussels 1” on Bulgaria On Air, focusing on European and international affairs.

During the CEM hearings, Milotinova presented a detailed concept emphasizing BNT’s leadership in the media market, technological modernization, and editorial independence. She proposed establishing a creative advisory board and fostering more journalistic investigations. Her campaign contrasted with those of the other candidates, who highlighted either legislative reforms for commercial funding, as in Svilena Dimitrova’s case, or a push for public-interest journalism and investigative reporting, as proposed by Nevena Andonova.

The election follows the resolution of a court case that had previously frozen the selection process. In February, the Supreme Administrative Court annulled a prior ruling that suspended the CEM’s authority to elect BNT’s director, allowing the process to proceed. Koshlukov, while presenting his vision at the hearing, criticized the procedure as politically influenced but acknowledged the importance of respecting BNT employees and the broadcaster’s challenges in adapting to new technologies.

With Milotinova’s appointment, BNT gains a leader with extensive experience in national and international media, a background in public service, and a vision to reinforce the broadcaster’s role as an independent and investigative platform, while also addressing past administrative and political hurdles that delayed the leadership transition.