''We have a concern. EW has so far been funded on a voluntary basis and using personal resources,'' wrote EW editor-in-chief Silver Tambur to the Ministry of Culture on Wednesday, in a letter which is in the public domain.

''However, EW has grown to such an extent that it can no longer be sustained from personal resources, nor can it continue to develop,'' Mr Tambur added.

The funds requested are itemised as being necessary for content creation, salary costs of two editors, web support costs and social media costs, as well as royalties, presumably for outside contributors, according to Mr Tambur.

Critical situation

''The situation is now so critical that we will be forced to put an end to EW this month if the state does not provide support. EW has been in existence for six years now, but now is the moment we need help, to continue in operation,'' he wrote.

Mr Tambur added that readership figures of the site had been appended to the application.

EW was founded in 2012, and carries a variety of magazine-type pieces, primarily of cultural, social and technological interest.