Spiegel magazine reported the German Bundestag will start the ratification procedure of Bulgaria and Romania's EU accession treaty on April 5.

Members of the Bundestag hold different opinions concerning the membership of the two countries, the publication reported.

Ratification seemed to be only an administrative procedure but the closer it gets, the more opposition starts wondering why Bulgaria and Romania should join the EU, Spiegel wrote. The two countries are among the poorest and with the highest state administration corruption level in Europe, according to the report.

Peter Ramsauer, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) said the ratification should start only after the European Commission issues its final report on Bulgaria and Romania's readiness to join the EU.

Spiegel reported that the opposition is demonstrative rather than functional. Even if the Bundestag ratifies the treaty, the parties will send a signal concerning the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.
 
The article also quotes politicians, who strongly favour the on-time accession. Christian Democrats representative Volker Kauder said the ratification procedure cannot fail. Yet the change in attitude is fact, since for years Germany has been strong supporter of the enlargement process, the publication wrote.