The Council was officially registered at the relevant court in Sofia on 05 August 2005. It consists of a Foundation Board with seven members, representing the Union of Publishers in Bulgaria, then Association of Bulgarian Broadcasters, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, the Bulgarian Media Coalition, and the Media Development Center Sofia.
 
The main aims of the Council, according to its Statutes (Art 5), are as follows:
 
1. to protect the right of the audience to be fully and correctly informed;
2. to contribute to the establishment of journalistic standards;
3. to contribute to the enhancement of the authority of the media;
4. to set up a system for media self-regulation by ensuring the implementation of a Code of Ethics and by resolving arguments between the media and the audience;
5. to encourage public debate on issues of journalistic ethics;
6. to strengthen the freedom of speech, safeguard journalists’ rights and protect editorial sources of information.
7. to support training of Bulgarian journalists in the implementation of ethical rules and standards.

The Council will now oversee the establishment of two “Complaints Commissions” – one for the print sector, and one for the electronic sector.  These two Commissions will administer the agreed “Code of Journalistic Ethics” of the Bulgarian media.

The two Commissions will each consist of four journalists’ representatives, four employers’ representatives, and four independent members who will be selected jointly by journalists and employers.  They will meet at least once every two months and will deal with any complaints received from the public.

The complete text of the Council Statutes in Bulgarian can be found here.

The complete text of the Council Statutes in English can be found here. 
(Please note that the legally binding text is the Bulgarian-language version; the English-language version is only a translation.)