The European Commission has concluded that Bulgaria has failed to make progress in several key areas related to the rule of law, including reform of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and efforts to build a consistent record of investigations, prosecutions and final court rulings in high-level corruption cases. The findings are outlined in the Commission's latest annual Rule of Law Report, which reviews developments across all EU member states.
According to the report, Bulgaria fully implemented only one of last year's recommendations. The Commission identified "some progress" in two areas, "limited progress" in another, while four recommendations saw no progress at all.
Among the Commission's main concerns is the stalled reform of the Supreme Judicial Council. Since its composition remains unchanged, Brussels again urged Bulgaria to restructure the body in line with European standards to strengthen both its independence and effectiveness.
The report also concludes that Bulgaria has not achieved a "solid track record" in investigating and prosecuting high-level corruption cases or securing final court decisions. The Commission recommends additional measures to improve results in this area.
