BULGARIA’S PROSECUTOR-GENERAL DISCUSSES EU ENTRY DELAY CONSEQUENCES

09:00 Fri 12 May 2006

Prosecutor-General Boris Velchev said that an eventual delay in Bulgaria’s EU accession would rather hinder than speed up the country’s reform progress.

Days before the issuing of the final European Commission (EC) report on Bulgaria and Romania’s readiness to join the EU, EUobserver published information the report might not contain entry date recommendation.

According to some sources the EC may postpone its recommendation until the autumn. In this manner Bulgaria would be pressured to speed up reforms, mediapool.bg reported.

Borisov said that a delayed accession would produce effect opposite to the desired on the fight against organised crime and corruption.

By postponing the accession EU would show it does not appreciate the work of Bulgarian officials, said Borisov. Such development would de-motivate administrators, said he.

Velchev said the latest developments in the country should be taken into account. The immunity of 10 MPs was removed so that they could face investigation, Borisov said. Officials are already arrested on charges of corruption, said he.

Comments

Comments by Benjamin - 09:10 12 May 2006
	It is a little too late! Reforms should continue in earnest so that "concrete" results are acheived from these corruption investigations. Arresting someone is simply the start of a long and at times complictaed process. The public misconception about corruption is that involves only one person. This is clearly not so. As such, there are many ways to dismantle and limit where two people are to exchange ideas/information with money in the public domain of a State institution. For example, public business should be conducted in an open and transparent manner rather than in "private meeting rooms". It is the exclusive task for the Government of the day to arm itself with serious and yet effective means of combatting corruption.