BNR orchestra violinist announces hunger strike over low pay

Violinist Iva Djadjeva from the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra announced today that she plans to go on hunger strike on September 28 in connection with the ongoing protests by musicians from the radio’s ensembles over their low pay.

“After a year and a half of agony, I am simply taking the extreme step of announcing a hunger strike because our orchestra is falling apart and we simply have no more options. We are filled with despair. We are asking for attention”, the musician said.

She explained the reasons for her decision in a letter to Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova, Prime Minister Rumen Radev and Minister of Culture Evtim Miloshev, as well as to the chair and members of the National Assembly’s Committee on Culture and Media, BNR Horizont reported.

The Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1948. It has performed in numerous countries, while its roster of soloists and guest conductors has included countless internationally acclaimed Bulgarian and foreign musicians.

On March 6, the musical ensembles of the Bulgarian National Radio announced a warning suspension of their concert activities in protest. At the time, then caretaker Minister of Culture Nayden Todorov pledged to explore ways of incorporating the orchestras into the country’s cultural institutions, thereby securing additional funding.

BNR musicians halt concerts in protest over low pay

To date, however, there has been no change in the status of the ensembles.

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The BNR Symphony Orchestra protests with concert silence

Edited by Miglena Ivanova
Translated by Kostadin Atanasov