Dobrina Trifonova, Project coordinator at the KAS Media Programme South East Europe, and Boyko Stankushev, Director of the Anti-Corruption Fund, opened the seminar. In their introduction they emphasised that independent journalists in Bulgaria have to cope with many challenges in their work - including economic and political pressure, legal claims. It is therefore important that they receive practical support. The organisers underlined the regional focus in the selection of the Bulgarian participants - more than 13 media (TV, radio, online and print) from ten small and big towns were represented at the seminar.

Irina Nedeva and Ivan Radev, representatives of the Association of European Journalists, stressed both the urgently needed strengthening of solidarity and cooperation between independent journalists in Bulgaria and the work safety of journalists. Тhe journalistic unions in Bulgaria are of great importance, in order for the work safety to be guaranteed.

Lora Georgiеva, Coordinator of the law programme of the Anti-Corruption Fund, and Sofia Zheleva, Law expert of the Anti-Corruption Fund, presented the legal framework and tools available to provide legal support to independent journalists. At the European level, they focused on the development of the European Commission's anti-SLAPP legislation (SLAPP = strategic lawsuit against public participation) and at national level - on the law on access to public information.

In a discussion, Iliyan Vasilev, “TV Alternativata”, and Georgi Savchev, “Offnews.bg”, presented alternative financing models such as crowdfunding. Iliyan Vasilev accented the important role of the donation culture of readers or viewers in promoting and supporting independent journalism.

Michael Geffken, former director of the Leipzig School of Media, spoke about the German model of journalistic independence by sharing the development of the German media over the years and emphasising that media freedom should not be taken for granted and we all have to fight for it every day.

As an impulse comment, Ognian Zlatev, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Croatia, addressed the specific problems of journalists from a European perspective and highlighted the importance of journalistic independence and self-regulation of the media.

The journalists’ closing remarks included future steps that could lead to an improvement in the situation for journalism in Bulgaria. They spoke in favour of such meetings and exchanges, especially after the long pandemic. They thanked both the KAS Media Programme South East Europe and the Anti-Corruption Fund for this opportunity to work together.