BELGIUM: Joining the EU in 2008 rather than 2007 would harm Bulgaria and damage EU credibility says Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev

Bulgaria's Prime Minister continued his charm offensive in Brussels on Wednesday (September 6) listing the progress his country has made in fighting corruption and building a stronger economy following encouraging signs from the European Commission who raised the prospects that Bulgaria could join the bloc in a matter of months. Sergey Stanishev told reporters in a hotel close to the European Institutions that he was optimistic that his country, as well as Romania, would join in January 2007 rather than 2008. Stanishev said he understood from top EU officials that the bloc's executive arm would recommend on September 26 letting Bulgaria and Romania join next January, a view confirmed by a European Commission source. He began the news conference on Wednesday by comparing the historical moment when Bulgaria was unified with eastern Romania in 1885 to his efforts to smooth the way to early adhesion to the European bloc. "The 6th of September 1885: the date when the two parts of Bulgaria, the principality of Bulgaria and eastern Romania joined each other after the liberation of our country and it was a very important moment in the modern history of our country and we are celebrating with pride every year in the place of the unification in Plovdiv the second largest city of our country. But today of course we are here for a different job, I'll say preparing Bulgaria's re-unification with Europe, the European Union," Stanishev said. European Commission President on Tuesday (September 5) said Bulgaria had made real progress in political and economic reforms as well as in introducing legislation to fight corruption, a major sticking point for the EU and citizens of its member states. But he declined to speculate on the joining date, demanding more evidence of action against corruption and organised crime, and saying Bulgaria would probably face "accompanying measures" when it did join. A Commission source earlier told Reuters the EU executive was likely to recommend letting Bulgaria and Romania join next January rather than in 2008, but propose tough conditions for the bloc's second enlargement wave into ex-communist Europe. When asked about these 'accompanying measures' Stanishev said it was up to the Commission to decide. He said public opinion about Bulgaria and Romania's accession had changed across the European Union since the failed constitution vote and the difficult budget negotiations. But he also issued a veiled warning to the Commission not to yield to the pressure of public opinion at Bulgaria's expense. "It is important however to discuss what would be efficient for the goals, which are the goals of the Bulgarian government and society and those of the European Commission. What would be helpful. And the question is what is more important? To achieve mechanisms and instruments which will help the further development of the reforms or simply to make Bulgaria's accession more sellable to the public opinion in some of the member countries," Stanishev said. The two Balkan countries may be excluded initially from some EU policies in areas where they are not fully prepared for membership, such as the fight against corruption and organised crime. Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen promised to open the Finnish labour market to workers from Bulgaria and Romania once they join the EU, the first such declaration from a member state. The issue has became sensitive in Britain since official figures last month showed hundreds of thousands of workers from Poland and other new members have flooded the British labour market since the bloc's eastward enlargement in 2004. Stanishev however said he wanted Bulgaria to participate fully in EU policy. "We want to see the European Union more coherent than it is now and we shall be contributing to this process because sometimes I can feel that many Europeans take what has been achieved by the union for granted, something natural. But I think that the European Union has to go ahead in the 21st century and to become the most successful project not only of the 20th century but of the current global era with new challenges, with very high competition, with rapidly developing economies of China, India, and the United States in the leading position in many areas," Stanishev said. Under the accession treaty, which the Black Sea neighbours signed last year, either country could be delayed by a year from 2007 if it is deemed not ready to join, or excluded for some time from some EU policies for which it was unprepared. But the prime minister said waiting another year would deal a major blow to the people of Bulgaria and jeopardise the country's successes at reforming. "I am an optimist about the date, January 2007. And if you talk about 2008 the you should better ask yourself the question: who would benefit? Who would benefit from the postponement? The Bulgarian people will not benefit psychologically. We can bear it. We can live another year out of the European Union, practically, because the economy is developing, foreign investments are still high, but you should take into consideration the effect of the postponement which will be perceived as a rejection by the people. And of course they will be disappointed and the European Union will not look very credible," Stanishev said. In May, the Commission postponed its recommendation on Bulgaria and Romania to exert pressure on them for more reforms. Stanishev, vowed that constitutional changes sought by enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn to help Bulgaria better fight corruption and organised crime would be ready soon.

ITN Source | September 7, 2006

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