European press review

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The announcement that Romania and Bulgaria are to be admitted to the EU is given a cautious welcome by many papers. Much comment focuses on the unprecedented monitoring mechanisms to survey ongoing reform in the two countries.

'Last train to Europe'

Romania's Romania Libera says the European Commission's report was "surprisingly positive, given the context in which the press and even some EU officials have been competing in warning us lately about the 'hostile climate' and 'enlargement apathy'."

"The European Commission has strived to find a formula to encourage Romania and Bulgaria to continue reforms, without humiliating them, and to 'calm down' the Eurosceptics", it says.

"However, this apparent lenience does not mean that the community forums will make exceptions to the rules. On the contrary, in the case of Romania and Bulgaria unprecedented monitoring mechanisms will be in place."

Curierul National also focuses on the strict conditions for EU entry placed on the prospective members. There is a breeze of trust blowing, trust that things can, finally, be set in motion Evenimentul Zilei

"Up to now the signals from Europe have started with 'if'", it says: "You will join the EU if you solve your problems.

"Now they start with 'but'. We will join in time, 'but' we will be under the threat of protective clauses for years on end."

Still in Romania, Evenimentul Zilei says: "Yes, Romania is changing, but unfortunately not at the pace which many people have been expecting it to."

"There is a breeze of trust blowing, trust that things can, finally, be set in motion," it believes, thanking all the "anonymous" people who played a role in ensuring Romania's accession.

"They put permanent pressure on the government. Thanks to them Romania succeeded in catching what represents the last train to Europe for many years to come."

Railway metaphors also appeared in the Bulgarian press. "We caught the last carriage of the last train," reads a headline over an interview Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev in 24 Hours.

"There will be a substantial period of time before the next enlargement, because the European Union will have to improve the way it functions," Mr Stanishev says.

100 days to 'become European'

The front page headline in Bulgaria's Monitor says, "Europe is accepting us but will keep us under watch so that we do not steal." It notes that Bulgaria and Romania will have to report every six months on progress in the reform of the justice system, the spending of structural funds and food safety.

Novinar says the EU has given Bulgarians 100 days to become European.

"Brussels threatened punitive measures if we do not sort out the problems in certain spheres in less than 100 days," it says.

It adds that the European Commission has seen that "the number of convictions against criminal bosses is still very low".

The Telegraph newspaper has as its headline, "Let the poor come in". It describes the terms of membership as "most favourable" adding that Bulgarian businesses will be able to export their products to the EU from day one.

"Bulgarian workers will be able to work in the EU, unless member states decide to restrict that possibility for a few years," it notes.

'Positive' decision

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung backs the European Commission's decision to tie Romania's and Bulgaria's accession at the beginning of next year to strict conditions relating to judicial reform, corruption and organised crime.

"All democratically minded Bulgarians and Romanians, too, will welcome the fact that the ruling elites in their countries are being forced by the EU to build a democratic and transparent society," it says.

Danish daily Berlingske Tidende agrees that both countries should be allowed to join the EU from 2007, even though "they still have problems which must be solved".

"It is both positive and good that these two countries will join the European Union. The promise was made during the Danish presidency, but on condition that they had met the requirements in a satisfactory manner. The two countries have come far", it says, while conceding that "they have not gone the whole way". Their accession will bring many risks, but there is no doubt - it is good that they will join Mlada Fronta Dnes

"But the political reality is that the EU has reached out a hand to these countries and as promises are binding in international politics there is not much to do but admit them," it says.

Sweden's Sydsvenska Dagbladet says it is "gladdening" that the two countries are being welcomed into the community, although "the circumstances risk making the future enlargement project more difficult".

The daily says it is "justified" that they face sanctions if they do not meet the EU's conditions, either later this year or after joining.

"But with countries such as Croatia and Turkey, who have both been told that they do not meet all the criteria, on the doorstep the EU must clearly signal that the door is not shut. Otherwise it will look as if all European countries are welcome in the Union. But some are more welcome than others," it warns.

"Their accession will bring many risks, but there is no doubt - it is good that they will join", Prague's Mlada Fronta Dnes says of the Commission's decision.

Their weak economies, corrupt courts and strong mafias, can be seen as powerful arguments why they should not yet join the EU, the paper admits.

However, from an economic perspective, "the bigger the Europe without barriers grows, the better", it argues.

Too early?

In the view of some European papers, such as Austria's Die Presse, Romania and Bulgaria are not ready to be EU members.

The paper argues that if accession depends on political as well as economic criteria, "as people are trying to make us believe", then the prospect of EU membership must really serve as a guarantee of reforms. The EU made a mistake when it promised the two membership from next year or in 2008 at the latest Politiken

"Then there must be no turning a blind eye and no to-ing and fro-ing, as there has been in the case of Romania and Bulgaria," it says.

"Into the EU too early - Romania and Bulgaria should wait" is the blunt assessment of Denmark's Politiken.

"The EU made a mistake when it promised the two membership from next year or in 2008 at the latest. The message to them should have been: yes, when you have met the conditions", the paper says.

"Even though the EU promises to keep the two new members of the club on a tight rein, we know from experience of other new member countries that it eases off when first they have slipped through the keyhole. This time the keyhole has actually been made too large", it concludes.

The European press review is compiled by <A href="http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk">BBC Monitoring</A> from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.