Brussels is about to issue later this month a harsh report for the country's alleged failure to reform its courts, reduce corruption, and fight organized crime, according to media reports.

The Commission is due to publish its new report under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism on Bulgaria and Romania on July 18.

Bulgaria faces more heat over alleged close ties between government officials and organized crime, EurActiv reported..

Although less visible from a Brussels perspective, political developments in Bulgaria suggest that both Bucharest and Sofia should expect little good news from the report, the online edition said.

The Supreme Judicial Council in Bulgaria yesterday fired Judge Miroslava Todorova who gained reputation as the strongest critic of the body, which is widely seen as an instrument of politicians and of Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov.

Borissov called the move "a provocation" aimed at undermining the efforts of his government to improve its image.

The Todorova case illustrates the ongoing power struggle between the executive and the judiciary in Bulgaria, with each accusing the other of serving the mafia.

But Borissov himself threw fuel on the fire, saying during a meeting with bloggers that a taped phone conversation where he is allegedly heard speaking of the need to "protect" a controversial businessman from customs check was genuine.

Last year, Bulgaria experienced an avalanche of leaked wiretaps which first targeted the country's interior minister, Tzvetan Tzvetanov (see 'Background'), and now focus on Borissov.

The wiretaps were apparently made by DANS, the country's national security agency, but were then leaked to Galeria, a tabloid with connections to Alexei Petrov, a controversial figure described by many as Borissov's most powerful enemy.

According to one of the tapes, Borissov instructs the country's customs chief, Vanio Tanov, to stop investigating a controversial businessman, Mihail Mihov, owner of a beer factory, stating he had "made commitments" not to harass him.

On 30 March 2011, Mihov, 47, was found dead in a hotel room. His widow too died in May.

According to unconfirmed reports, the European Commission was extremely concerned by tapes, in which the prime minister himself admitted having ordered the "protection" from customs checks of the businessman.

Commission spokesperson Mark Gray said that the EU executive was fully aware of the wiretapping allegations, but could not independently assert if indeed the prime minister had admitted that his statements were true.

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