Bulgaria's request for European Commission experts to monitor Sofia heating company investigation has been greeted with concern in Brussels, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

According to the article the request is perceived as a signal of a lack of Bulgarian progress in strengthening the judiciary.

"It seems odd that we should be asked to come in and almost act as judge and jury," an unnamed Commission official was cited as saying.

The Financial Times commented that the stand-off between Economy and Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharov and the head of the national investigative service Anguel Alexandrov has underscored the obstacles faced by prosecutors in combating corruption and organised crime.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev suspended Rumen Ovcharov over the weekend, saying he wanted to send "a clear signal" that the cabinet would not tolerate political corruption.

Ovcharov has been accused of meddling in official investigations of high-level corruption involving the Sofia city heating company and tobacco monopoly Bulgatabac.

Anguel Alexandrov was also suspended after claiming that he was threatened by Ovcharov.

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