An internal EU report strongly criticises Bulgaria's strategy for judicial reforms, which still remains the area of greatest EU concern.

Only nine months before the planned EU accession, the country's judicial system is chaotic and 'out of touch with the principles of the block', International Herald Tribune reported. The EU report criticises mainly the nepotism in judge selections and the low technical quality of recent Bulgarian laws.

Western European media often speculate the expected European Commission recommendation on May 16 may uncouple Bulgaria from Romania and that Olli Rehn will delay the country's EU entry by one year.

According to the report, even the constitutional amendments from May 30 did not lead to sufficient improvements and EU experts question the government's will to execute EU commitments. The situation is further aggravated by the population's distrust to their own judicial system.

EU officials say that a delay of Bulgaria's EU entry is highly unlikely. Although only a year ago Romania was the one causing more concerns to the EU, now Bulgaria became the problematic country. The author of the report Susette Schuster explains the difference with Bulgaria's lack of energy and determination.

Other problematic areas include corruption, organised crime, and border control. An efficient judicial system would help solve these problems and therefore legislation reform should be given priority, one western diplomat suggested.