The International Herald Tribune published an article on Bulgaria becoming EU external border.
The author examines conditions at Kapitan-Andreevo border checkpoint, expected to become one of the busiest EU external frontiers once Bulgaria joins the union.
Bulgaria will join the EU the latest in January 2008, IHT reported. On May 16 the country expects the final European Commission report on its readiness to join the EU and the EC’s entry date recommendation.
Bulgaria is located in a key section of the narcotics and illegal immigration route, IHT reported. The country is the point of access from the Middle East to Europe and vice versa.
Kapitan Andreevo already deals with steady trafficking practices. The illegal activity is expected to increase further, once Bulgaria joins the EU, IHT reported.
Corruption in the country remains a problem. The lack of internal border control in EU member countries, combined with the state of the Bulgarian administration may create serious problem, IHT said.
Bulgarians consider customs agents to be among the most corrupt officials, the publication reported. Nearly 71.8 per cent of all Bulgarians questioned in a poll said customs agents are well-known for accepting bribes.
Officials in the country work on reforms in the judicial sector, including the drafting of new regulations and the setting up of anti-corruption offices. Yet, EU officials, as well as Bulgarians remain skeptical, IHT reported.
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 | Hello,
Living since about 6 years in Bulgaria and being a "normal" realistic Belgian from the Nord - Flanders -, makes me feel at some moments very angry on the International comments concerning the Bulgarian corruption. I will not denie that the sun comes up each morning but,where in most of the EU Member State are not corruption scandals being discovered? May be not daily but at least weekly. At the moment as well the French President as top Ministers are cited to be involved in "black accounts". When the EU Officials claim that some of the money given for one or another EU aids program is used for other purposes, how is this possible ? The responsible EU Officials who are paid royally to do their job should make sure this does not happens ! Being professionaly involved in waste treatment, I once became very angry when one of the EU Big Shots said that "they know that about 20 % of the money disapears". On my request what they are doing to avoid it I just got a "not much can be done to it" and when I continued "then putting a part of this money in our own pocket" they became very mad.
Regarding this article on the border check point. I am sure that on a such very busy and important "Gate between Asia and Europe", a EU combined Special Security Force should operate in the benefit of all EU Member States taking advantage of all the most available sophisticated security equ8ipment. Not more or not less. Or, are the critical minded affraid not to find "integer officers" able to do this job ? And leaving the responsibility only to the Bulgarians will keep the door open to only have to blame them.
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Comments by John - 10:25 12 May 2006 |
| Yes true there is corruption in all or most EU countries not just Italy and Spain but the Uk also. The point is however that it is sophisticated corruption ie: they are more discrete about it. The Bulgarians need to stop the blatant corruption and make more of an effort to cover it up. | |
