The EU executive wants Bulgaria and Romania to speed up reforms before their planned entry into the EU on Jan. 1 next year, according to drafts of reports it was issuing yesterday.
Bulgaria must step up its fight against corruption and organized crime, as serious concerns remain about the effectiveness of its efforts in the field, according to a draft copy of the European Commission report seen by The Associated Press.
"While this has been a stated national priority, there are still no tangible results in investigating and prosecuting organized crime networks," the report said.
"The frequent contract killings of people linked to organized crime seldom give rise to successful investigation and prosecution and continue to represent a challenge for the rule of law in the country," the report said.
Bulgaria has reduced the number of problem areas to six from 16, but it still has not completed all required reforms. Romania has four, mostly technical, problem areas left. A commission official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said that although Romania has shown better progress, both countries are likely to join the EU together next year as scheduled.
The countries are expected to be given several months to fulfill all the membership requirements. If they are still unprepared in some areas, the commission may then decide to implement so-called "safeguard clauses" -- monitoring mechanisms to ensure conditions are met before they have full benefits of EU membership.
A postponement of the entry date is unlikely because it would require unanimous agreement by all EU governments in the case of Bulgaria and majority agreement for Romania. Most of the 10 new member states that joined the EU in 2004 support next year's entry date for both countries.
Western European critics of the EU's expansion say the bloc has not fully dealt with the adhesion of 10 mostly ex-communist countries in 2004 and fear the entry of more nations will hasten the erosion of cherished social welfare benefits.
Heavy rain and strong winds yesterday disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancelations were still widespread after airport authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease later yesterday, after it paused operations at Wellington, Napier and Palmerston North airports. Online images showed flooded semi-rural neighborhoods, inundated homes, trees fallen on vehicles and collapsed
FRAYED: Strains between the US-European ties have ruptured allies’ trust in Washington, but with time, that could be rebuilt, the Michigan governor said China is providing crucial support for Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and could end the war with a phone call, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said. “China could call [Russian President] Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” Whitaker said during a Friday panel at the Munich Security Conference. “China could stop buying Russian oil and gas.” “You know, this war is being completely enabled by China,” the US envoy added. Beijing and Moscow have forged an even tighter partnership since the start of the war, and Russia relies on China for critical parts
Two sitting Philippine senators have been identified as “coperpetrators” in former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), documents released by prosecutors showed. Philippine senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are among eight current and former officials named in a document dated Feb. 13 and posted to the court’s Web site. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders as part of his “war on drugs.” “Duterte and his coperpetrators shared a common plan or agreement to ‘neutralize’ alleged criminals in the Philippines
In a softly lit Shanghai bar, graduate student Helen Zhao stretched out both wrists to have her pulse taken — the first step to ordering the house special, a bespoke “health” cocktail based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). “TCM bars” have popped up in several cities across China, epitomizing what the country’s stressed-out, time-poor youth refer to as “punk wellness,” or “wrecking yourself while saving yourself.” At Shanghai’s Niang Qing, a TCM doctor in a white coat diagnoses customers’ physical conditions based on the pulse readings, before a mixologist crafts custom drinks incorporating the herbs and roots prescribed for their ailments.
RSS