Justice minister Nikolay Naydenov has proposed new rules for the National Coordination Mechanism for the Rule of Law, the ministry said. The draft is open for public comment.

One of the main changes is yearly planning and reporting on how Bulgaria acts on the European Commission's recommendations. After each Commission report, the mechanism's council will adopt an annual work programme with a timetable, plus a report on progress on the previous year's measures. The Commission publishes its rule of law reports every year.

The programme and the report will be public on the ministry's website.

The mechanism will cover four areas, as in the Commission's reports: the justice system, the fight against corruption, media pluralism and media freedom, and the institutional balance and mutual checks between the branches of power.

Representation on the Civil Council will also widen. It will include groups that work on the institutional balance and mutual checks between the branches of power. Professional bodies for judges, prosecutors, investigators, lawyers and journalists stay on, as do groups that work on fighting corruption, judicial reform and media pluralism. Employers' organisations will be added. The council will still have up to 13 members.

The ministry says the changes bring the mechanism in line with current legislation and the institutional framework, and will improve how it works. It expects better coordination between institutions, a clear division of responsibilities, and better tracking and public reporting of Bulgaria's progress on the Commission's recommendations.

Bulgaria and Italy are also preparing a joint education programme on civic responsibility and the rule of law, BTA recalls.