Union of Publishers in Bulgaria - Stakeholders

Joined by 18 publishing houses producing over 40 printed products, the Union of Publishers in Bulgaria is an independent, non-governmental association united by the principles of defending the freedom of the press, the independence of journalists and the encouragement of their work so that society is objectively informed. The main goals of the Union are: to defend freedom of speech and the independence of the Bulgarian print media; to contribute for the improvement of the quality of Bulgarian press; to upgrade the public prestige of print media; to establish relations of fair competition among its members; to help in solving economic issues of common interest of the newspaper publishers; to mantain mutual trust among its members.

Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) - Stakeholders

The Union of  Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) is the largest journalists' organization in Bulgaria. It is a voluntary association of 4500 journalists from all over the country who want to protect their own professional, social and trade union rights and interests. The main goals of UBJ are as follows: the promotion of professional journalism in the Bulgarian society; the adherence to professional standards and ethics; the protection of media freedom and independent press; the expression of the common interests of Bulgarian journalists to public authorities; the development of international cooperation in the field of professional journalism.

Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) - Stakeholders

Founded in late 1989, the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) is an interdisciplinary public policy institute dedicated to the values of democracy and market economy. CSD defines itself as a "non-partisan, independent organization fostering the reform process in Europe through impact on policy and civil society". Born as a think-tank, its main goals are: to provide an enhanced institutional and policy capacity for a successful European integration process, especially in the area of justice and home affairs; to promote institutional reform and the practical implementation of democratic values in legal and economic practice; to monitor public attitudes and serve as a watchdog of the institutional reform process.

Association of European Journalists Bulgaria (AEJ Bulgaria) - Stakeholders

The Association of European Journalists Bulgaria (AEJ Bulgaria) is a non governmental legal entity founded in 2010 to defend ethical standards in journalism and to enhance the development of quality journalism in Bulgaria. To achieve its goals, the association provides educational opportunities, organizes meetings and produces publications.

MEDIADEM - Stakeholders

MEDIADEM was a European research project lasted from April 2010 to March 2013 focusing on the factors that promote or conversely prevent the development of policies supporting free and independent media.

The project combined a country-based study in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and the UK with a comparative analysis across media sectors and various types of media services. It investigated the configuration of media policies in the aforementioned countries and examined the opportunities and challenges generated by new media services for media freedom and independence. Moreover, external pressures on the design and implementation of state media policies, stemming from the European Union and the Council of Europe, are thoroughly discussed and analysed.

The coordinator of the project has been the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy.

Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) - Stakeholders

The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) consists of individual member-organisations, registered in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. As a group of editors and trainers, BIRN enables journalists in the region to produce in-depth analytical and investigative journalism on complex political, economic and social themes. Through the production of Balkan Insight, BIRN`s online publication, the network trains local and regional journalists, demanding the highest international standards. BIRN emerged from the Balkan programme of the London-based Institute for War & Peace Reporting, IWPR, in 2005.