The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) signed a cooperation agreement that will allow the exchange of news between Bulgaria and Georgia.

The signing took place on Friday at the BTA head office in Sofia. The BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and GPB Director General Tinatin Berdzenishvili signed the agreement.

“So far, news from both countries has come from global news agencies, even though Bulgaria and Georgia are neighbouring countries across the Black Sea,” said Valchev. This agreement allows news exchange directly between two countries “which have a common European future, because since 2014, Georgia has an Association Agreement with the European Union, of which Bulgaria has been a full member since 2007”, said the BTA Director General.

He mentioned the Bulgarian presence in Georgia and stated that, according to the Union of Bulgarians in Georgia, there are about 700 Bulgarians in the country. Additionally, he noted that a Sofia Garden was opened in Tbilisi in 2021. Furthermore, Bulgaria supported the establishment of an innovative ideas laboratory called Bulgaria Hall at Sukhumi State University in Tbilisi, with funding from the Bulgarian Development Aid.

GPB’s Director General Tinatin Berdzenishvili described the signing of the agreement as a crucial step.

“I believe that this memorandum is very important in terms of transparency and the value of news, especially since our common threat is fake news. When a respected agency from Bulgaria and a trusted source like our public service media collaborate, they provide society with reliable information. Nowadays, information is a very important tool for society because we are overwhelmed with it. However, we need to trust and select only a few reliable sources. This collaboration will add value to both organizations,” Berdzenishvili said.

She emphasized the significance of this agreement for both countries.

“The relationship between Georgia and Bulgaria is developing rapidly in a positive way, yet sometimes we lack information about each other. Now, we are establishing a direct communication channel for society. I think the people of Georgia would love to learn much more about Bulgaria and visit your beautiful country for tourism, culture, and much more, especially cultural exchanges. Although this is not my first visit, I am always impressed by the rich cultural heritage here, particularly in classical music. This agreement is a great opportunity for our people to grow closer to each other, so let’s begin,” she added.

The BTA has a memorandum of cooperation with media outlets in 46 countries.

Tinatin Berdzenishvili, who is currently in Sofia, is participating in a meeting of public media leaders from Eastern Europe. The meeting is part of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) calendar. The Bulgarian National Radio is hosting the event.