EU may delay Bulgaria, Romania entry decision
BRUSSELS, May 9 (Reuters) The European Union may postpone its decision by several months on whether Bulgaria and Romania join the bloc in 2007 or 2008 to press the two Balkan states to make more reforms, an EU source said today.
The European Commission, the EU executive arm, will publish reports on May 16 assessing how close the two are to being ready to join the 25-nation bloc. The reports are expected to recommend whether their entry should be delayed by a year.
''One option under consideration is to give either Bulgaria or Romania, or both, some more time to prepare themselves better before a recommendation is made,'' said a Commission official, who asked not to be named.
The Commission's enlargement spokeswoman, Krisztina Nagy, declined to speculate what the EU executive would recommend.
''No decision has been made. The jury is still out,'' she said.
A final decision on the timing the countries' entry rests with EU governments, but they should first hear the Commission's recommendation. The EU executive's next regular progress report on Bulgaria and Romania is due in October.
An EU diplomat said that putting off a decision on Bulgaria and Romania could in fact increase their chances of joining the EU in 2007 rather than 2008.
''Perhaps if the Commission was to make a firm recommendation now, it would have to say 2008, especially in the case of Bulgaria. In the autumn, there may be more reason to say 2007,'' said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.
PRESSURE FOR REFORMS Bulgaria has said delaying membership to 2008 would prompt anti-EU backlash and have the reverse effect of slowing reforms.
But keeping both or one country in suspense for several more months will keep pressure on them to implement more reforms this year, analysts say.
On the other hand, it could complicate the ratification of their entry treaty in national parliaments, if the Commission finally decides to recommend that they should join in 2007.
Romania and Bulgaria missed the EU's first wave of expansion into former communist eastern Europe in 2004 because of the slower pace of political and economic reforms.
Their main problem is rampant corruption, organised crime and weak administrative and judicial systems.
Smaller problems include food hygiene standards in Romania, and border controls in both countries.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has recently praised Romania's progress on reforms, but was more cautious on Bulgaria, which had once been considered as a front-runner.
Rehn was particularly critical about Bulgaria's track record in fighting organised crime, complaining it had very few investigations and prosecutions. He also said last month the country should again amend its constitution to strengthen judicial independence.
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