“The implementation of judicial reform and fighting corruption are not just ‘European commitments’ by Bulgarian institutions, but reflect Bulgarian citizens’ expectations of justice,” President Rosen Plevneliev said today at a meeting at 2 Dondoukov Boulevard with Catherine Day, Secretary-General of the European Commission.

Topics of the meeting, which was attended by Vice President Margarita Popova, included progress in judicial reform in Bulgaria, as well as Bulgaria’s priorities in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

"The contents of the July report on progress in judicial reform are not predetermined and it is solely up to Bulgaria what they will be," Catherine Day said.

She emphasised that Bulgaria must demonstrate the irreversibility of the reforms carried out so far, and she conveyed the European Commission’s expectations regarding transparency in the upcoming appointments within the judicial system.

The President and Vice President emphasised to her that the introduction of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism in 2006 had a positive impact on accelerating reforms in the judiciary. President Plevneliev expressed hope that Bulgaria would be evaluated fairly on progress made to date.

At the meeting, President Plevneliev outlined the priorities of Bulgaria to be incorporated in the National Development Programme to 2020.