2024-04-28 15:51:36
Gabriela Naplatanova and Simona Veleva to be consecutive temporary chairpersons of the Electronic Media Council for 6 months each. This is what Prolet Velkova proposed at today’s fifth meeting of the CEM, after the members failed to reach the required number of votes for the election of a new chairman in the previous four meetings. The term of office of the previous chairman, Sonja Momchilova, expires on Sunday.
Two proposals were put forward for the position – Dr. Gabriela Dimitrova Naplatanova-Ruseva and Dr. Simona Veleva. All four times the candidates for the chairman of the CEM received 2 “yes” votes each.
According to Velkova’s proposal, which was voted by the Council with 4 votes “for”, Gabriela Naplatanova should take over the post of chairperson of the CEM for the period from April 28 to October 27 of this year. After which Simona Veleva will take her place for the period from October 28 to April 28, 2025.
“Thank you for the support, despite the differences, we were often united in the main causes,” said Momchilova, who is vacating the position of the current chairman of the media regulator on Sunday.
Dr. Gabriela Dimitrova Naplatanova-Ruseva was the proposal of Sonia Momchilova for the chairman of the SEM. Naplatanova was appointed as a member of the CEM by decree of the president, she has a master’s degree from FJMK at Sofia University, where she graduated in public relations, she was also a part-time teacher there in the period 2015 – 2017, she is also known from the news. “My personal impressions of her presence are that she is a very useful person and a representative of our country. I think that in the future she will be the right person for CEM to develop as a factor in regulation platforms,” he said Momchilova. According to the previous chairman of the regulator, CEM should be headed by a media person.
Prolet Velkova’s suggestion was Dr. Simona Veleva. Veleva holds a PhD in Constitutional Law from the Faculty of Law at Sofia University, where she graduated with honors. He teaches at the American University in Bulgaria. She has worked with various media, journalists and organizations, including on projects related to the ethical coverage of children in the media, the fight against misinformation and hate speech. She is also an advocate for deaf people. “She is a dialogic person, able to bring together two points of view that are different, can be a mediator between different opinions, knows the legislation in detail,” said Prolet Velkova about her choice as a candidate for the chairman of the CEM. According to her, it is important that the president is well received by the media. “Veleva professes democratic views and convictions,” added Prolet Velkova.
Sonia Momchilova was elected as the chairman of the CEM for two consecutive terms. The chairman of the media regulator represents the Council, convenes and directs its meetings, maintains relations with state authorities and media service providers, as well as with international organizations in the field of media services, and issues penal decrees for violations of legal provisions.
The SEM has five members – three are elected by the National Assembly and two are appointed by the president.
The procedure for electing a chairman is carried out by the members of the media regulator proposing candidates, after which a vote is taken. If the majority of four members required by the Law on Radio and Television is not reached for any of the applications, the meeting is closed and a new one is scheduled. If a chairman is not elected at three consecutive meetings, the election can be voted on by 3 votes at the fourth.