July 21 (SeeNews) - The low level of Bulgaria's judicial independence, the lack of effective investigation of the prosecutor general and the composition and functioning of the country's Supreme Judicial Council continue to raise concerns, the European Commission said.
"Significant challenges remain concerning the effectiveness of measures related to the integrity of public administration, lobbying and whistleblowing protection, where no dedicated regulation exists," the Commission said in its latest report on Bulgaria's progress in the rule of law published on Tuesday.
Despite the increased investigative activity and the reinforcement of resources, final convictions for high-profile cases of corruption remains low and a solid track-record of final convictions remains to be established in this respect, it added.
Lack of transparency regarding media ownership remains a problem, the Commisison also said, adding that no specific measures supporting the media have been introduced.