No less than 36 laws are on the list of legislation Bulgaria has to adopt by October, when the EC comprehensive monitoring report on the progress made in candidate countries will be issued, the foreign minister said.

Speaking a day ahead of his fist official visit to Brussels, Minister Kalfin said the adoption of 22 crucial for Bulgaria's EU accession laws has already been delayed.

A total of 50 laws should be changed by the end of the year, Kalfin told the Bulgarian National Radio.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev will leave for Brussels on Monday together with the ministers of foreign affairs Ivaylo Kalfin and of EU-affairs Meglena Kuneva.

"The first Brussels visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, the foreign affairs and of EU-affairs ministers is emblematic and sends a clear message," Kalfin said.

"Our main goal is to demonstrate the determination of the parliamentary majority and the government to meet its EU entry commitments."

Kalfin voiced fears that Sofia will find it hard to convince the European Commission it has overhauled its judicial system as part of preparations demanded by Brussels for planned EU entry in 2007.

The European Commission has continually stressed that the overarching challenge for the country remains the reform of the judicial system. It has warned that Bulgaria has little time to lose if it is to make the grade on time.

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