EU Says Romania, Bulgaria Need to Act Against Crime, Graft
Romania and Bulgaria, the European Union’s two poorest members, have made progress in fighting crime and corruption and need “stronger action” to ensure transparency and revamp their judiciaries, the EU said.
The European Commission released a report today in Brussels praising Romania for moving ahead with “high level” corruption trials” and Bulgaria for “significant results” in confiscating criminal assets, commission spokesman Mark Gray told reporters.
The two former communist countries joined the 27-nation bloc in 2007. Their efforts to join the EU’s passport-free zone, known as Schengen, were delayed last year by some EU states including France and the Netherlands on grounds they needed to do more to ensure the rule of law. The commission’s report is used to assess their achievements in fighting top-level corruption and organized crime.
“The commission believes that Bulgaria and Romania should be assessed objectively and fairly when it comes to joining Schengen,” Gray said. “From the commission’s point of view, both countries meet the criteria to be Schengen members.”
The European Parliament in Strasbourg endorsed the Black Sea countries’ bids on June 8, 2011, while the bloc’s Justice and Home Affairs Ministers Council postponed their admission on the next day, urging them to do more to fight crime and corruption.
‘Visible’ Progress
“Progress is visible in both countries, especially in Romania,” said Ben Knapen, the Dutch minister for European affairs and international cooperation, in a statement today. “It is a step forward but more needs to be done. We will see in July, following the full report of the European Commission, whether this then has been the case.”
The two countries were admitted to the EU on condition the governments accept monitoring after accession to ensure they complete legal changes and continue to receive EU aid. Romania, with a population of 19 million, stands to receive 32 billion euros ($42.5 billion) in EU aid through 2013, of which it has used 10 percent so far. Bulgaria, with 7.5 million people, may draw 11 billion euros, of which it has used 24 percent.
EU warnings have prompted probes of Cabinet ministers, business leaders and lawmakers, though convictions have been rare except for minor corruption cases involving mayors and police officers.
Nastase Conviction
Romania’s Supreme Court judges sentenced former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase to two years in prison last month, the first corruption conviction of a former government head two decades since the fall of communism.
Nastase was charged with illegally collecting funds for his presidential campaign in 2004 through a publicly sponsored construction conference. He denied any wrongdoing and said he plans to appeal the decision.
Prosecutors in Romania have accused almost 20 current and former ministers of corruption since the country joined the EU in 2007 and are still investigating Nastase on other alleged corruption deeds.
“This positive report means that we must intensify our efforts in the following period and must boost the judiciary and the political front that we have to continue on this path,” Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu told reporters in Bucharest today.
The commission urged Bulgaria to deal with suspicions of electoral fraud in the October presidential and municipal elections, Gray said.
Bulgarian Probes
“Suggestions of electoral fraud need to be followed up by the prosecution services,” Gray said. “It’s an issue we treat seriously.”
Bulgarian authorities started about 200 investigations into suspected vote-buying related to elections on Oct. 23 and the Oct. 30 runoff.
Bulgaria set up a Specialized Court and Prosecution Office in January to fight organized crime. In the past three years, Bulgarian police arrested ministers on corruption charges and criminal groups involved in kidnappings, smuggling and racketeering, which resulted in very few convictions.
“The report in all fairness reflects all our efforts and work that has been done and what remains to be done,” Lazar Gruev, chairman of the Supreme Court of Cassation, told reporters in Sofia today.
Many of the arrested individuals, including former Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolai Tsonev and Labor Minister Emilia Maslarova, have been acquitted of most of the charges and have sued the police for brutality and human-rights violations.
To contact the reporters on this story: Elizabeth Konstantinova in Sofia at ekonstantino@bloomberg.net; Irina Savu in Bucharest at isavu@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James M. Gomez at jagomez@bloomberg.net
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