Bulgaria's foreign minister ruled out the risk of a safeguard clause just weeks before the European Commission issues its report on the country's fight against corruption and reforms in the judiciary.

"We have every reason to expect that the European Commission report will recognize the progress made in the justice and home affairs area. I see no reasons for the invocation of a safeguard clause," Minister Ivaylo Kalfin said during his visit in the Black Sea town of Varna.

"At least two of the six areas of concern, dealing with the judiciary and corruption fight, are likely to drop," Minister Kalfin said but declined to name them.

The European Commission has insistently refused to confirm local reports that its upcoming assessment report on Bulgaria will not propose safeguard clauses in justice and home affairs.

At the end of May EU Commissioner for Justice Franco Frattini made it clear that he would recommend the activation of the safeguard clause if Romania and Bulgaria don't improve fight against corruption.

The EU Commission has the legal obligation to do so since the safeguard clauses are mentioned in Romania's and Bulgaria's EU Accession Treaty if these countries don't fulfil their obligations.

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