Contract killings, high-level corruption, and a broken judiciary - all three problems are prevalent in Bulgaria, a member state that joined the European Union in 2007.
The European Commission, despite years of oversight on progress and recommendations to help stamp out the abuses, has been unable to exert much pressure. Nine years later and little has improved.
What little faith Bulgarians and companies may have had in their judicial system appears to be eroding.
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Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.
Nikolaj joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.