Rehn: voorbereiding toetreding Bulgarije in 'kritieke' fase (en)

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn has said Bulgaria is in a "critical" phase in its preparations for EU accession.

"We are living critical days as regards Bulgaria's preparation for accession," the commissioner said on Thursday (30 March), according to press reports.

Mr Rehn announced he will give a "preliminary assessment" of Bulgaria and Romania's readiness to enter the EU as planned on 1 January 2007 before the foreign affairs committee in the European Parliament on Monday (3 April).

His warning comes amid growing signs that the commission will recommend invoking a so-called safeguard clause excluding Bulgaria from full participation in justice and home affairs matters even if the country enters the union on time in 2007.

This could mean, for example, that the EU would not recognise verdicts of Bulgarian judges until the Bulgarian judiciary functions properly. Sofia could also be excluded from new EU policy initiatives in police or criminal matters.

Brussels has strong concerns about Bulgaria's high levels of corruption and organized crime, as well as its malfunctioning judiciary.

In a key report due in May, the commission could also recommend a delay of Bulgaria or Romania's scheduled accession in 2007 by one year - but experts and Brussels insiders see this as unlikely given the political instability this drastic measure could provoke in Sofia or Bucharest.

In Bulgaria's case, a one-year accession delay would have to be approved by all 25 EU member states unanimously, which is seen as practically impossible.

Safeguard clause likely

Brussels will more likely recommend the application of the justice and home affairs safeguard clause.

A recent commission experts mission to Bulgaria pointed to crime, corruption and shortcomings in the judiciary, arguing there is a reason for the enforcement of the clause, according to Bulgarian news agency Novinite.com.

In a move designed to reassure Brussels, Bulgaria's parliament on Thursday amended the country's constitution, aimed at improving possibilities of the prosecution of corrupt civil servants as well as boosting the efficiency of the judiciary.

But the European Parliament's rapporteur on Bulgaria, UK conservative MEP Geoffrey van Orden, said that the changes are no guarantee against the safeguard clause, according to Novinite.com.

Mr Van Orden indicated earlier this week that Sofia will enter on time next year, but with a safeguard clause probably enforced.

Public opinion

The enforcement of the safeguard clause would also accommodate public opinion in the EU, which is increasingly critical on uncontrolled enlargement.

Several national parliaments, such as those of France, Germany, Denmark and Austria, have postponed ratification of the accession treaties of Romania and Bulgaria until after the crucial commission report in May.

A commission recommendation to invoke the safeguard clause could convince national parliaments not to block accession as a whole in 2007.