The Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot is on an official visit to Bulgaria Tuesday, the Bulgarian information agencies report.

Barrot, accompanied by the Bulgarian EC Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Meglena Kuneva, spoke for reporters at the Radisson hotel in downtown Sofia.

"Your judiciary system is producing very few positive results," Barrot stated in the presence of the Bulgarian Justice Minister Miglena Tacheva, the Bulgarian Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev and members of the Bulgarian Supreme Judiciary Council.

Barrot added that the effectiveness of the fight against organized crime depended on the effectiveness of the judiciary system.

"There is some movement in Bulgaria, but the real reforms are still upcoming," the EC Vice-President stated.

Barrot's main objections towards Bulgaria include: obsolete Penalty Code, very few trials leading to serious and real convictions for the mafia bosses or for corrupted individuals.

"The organized crime is poison; the mafia is an obstacle to the development of the economy. Your task is very difficult since deep reforms cannot be achieved in one day," Barrot pointed out.

The EC Vice-President further reminded that according to 2008 data of "Transparency International", Bulgaria ranked 72nd in Europe for its institutions' commitment to fight corruption, while Denmark and Finland took the leading positions.

"I love your country. I am in Sofia as a friend," Barrot concluded.

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