[autom.vertaling] Bulgarije aarzelend om aan Roemenië in de onderhandelingen van de EU worden gebonden (en)
Romania and Bulgaria are not expected to be members of the EU until 2007, when they may join together. The updated accession strategy for both is expected to be acknowledged in December. However, the two countries do not get along anymore, Bulgaria wants their applications to be considered separately.
Sophia first gave an indication of the rift at the beginning to October. Now the prime minister, Simeon Saxa Coburg-Gotha, is saying that Romania and Bulgaria cannot find a "common language" for the details of European integration. The countries could defend the same interests and same goals, but in detail, the negotiations with the EU should only be on an individual basis, he added.
The Bulgarian prime minister met his Romanian counterpart Adrian Nastase in Sophia on Monday. Mr Nastase also stated that Sofia and Bucharest should not create difficulties for each other. He went so far as to speak about "cooperation without competition".
No partnership for EU accession
The Romanian premier already proposed a "partnership" for EU accession in August of last year. The idea was bluntly turned down. Former foreign minister Nadejda Michailova, as well as many other members of the Bulgarian opposition were strongly against the idea of teaming with a "laggard" country - Romania - that would only slow Bulgaria down and give it a bad name.
Now Mr Nastase is trying his luck again. He proposes that the two countries should together present the EU strong arguments so that the Copenhagen Summit in December would give them a clear accession date.
Bulgaria has not changed its mind, although Mr Simeon did not spell this out. Sofia could only accept a partnership for NATO, and not for the EU.