The Report on the Rule of Law for 2026 published today once again highlights the ongoing problems facing the Bulgarian judiciary and the effective work of the prosecutor's office, the lack of reforms in the Supreme Judicial Council, as well as the lack of results in the fight against corruption, especially at the highest levels of power.
This is what is written in the position of “Democratic Bulgaria“ on the occasion of the EC report on the rule of law for 2026 published today, which we publish without editorial intervention:
"Very soon, the refusal of real reforms may cost Bulgaria billions of euros in European funding. Today, the EC reaffirmed its ambition to link the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights to the provision of funds, as part of the new approach expected to be enshrined in the Union's Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028 – 2034
Horizontal investments and reforms in the area of the rule of law will be part of the new “National and Regional Partnership Plans“, and their violation may lead to the blocking of funds.
Against this background, the report presented today once again draws attention to the ongoing problems related to the lack of guarantees for the independence of the Bulgarian judiciary and, in particular, to the de facto cessation of efforts for structural reforms for an independent Supreme Judicial Council and an effective prosecutor's office, as well as to the lack of investigations, prosecutions and final convictions for corruption at the highest levels of power.
The only implemented recommendations from last year's EC report are in the area of improving the functioning of the Inspectorate to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and avoiding the risk of political influence, as well as in the area of media transparency (in particular with regard to the spending of public funds on media services). Both legislative initiatives were proposed and defended by “Democratic Bulgaria“.
“Democratic Bulgaria“ insists on the implementation of the recommendations in the Rule of Law Report and on a substantive discussion on the implementation of real reforms related to guaranteeing justice and the independence of justice in Bulgaria.
Minister Naydenov on the EC report on the rule of law: Objective, reflects the situation for the previous periods in which the monitoring was carried out
“Democratic Bulgaria” will participate in this process by submitting and defending proposals that directly respond to long-standing recommendations of the EC and affect the attestation and competitions in the judicial system, the cessation of the long-term secondment of judges, reform of the prosecutor's office, faster and more effective justice, and which are largely contained in the draft of a completely new Judiciary Law developed in 2024.