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New EU states attacked over graft New EU states urged to curb graft
(about 22 hours later)
The European Commission is to criticise Bulgaria and Romania for failing to tackle deep-rooted corruption and reform their judiciary. The European Union's executive has urged the bloc's newest members, Bulgaria and Romania, to do more to fight corruption and organised crime.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU six months ago. A report by the European Commission did not recommend penalties, but warned it might do so if the two states failed to meet reform targets by 2008.
A report by the Commission highlights the lack of convictions in high-level corruption cases and voices concern about contract killings in Bulgaria. The report said neither country was doing enough to prosecute those guilty of high-level corruption.
The report, seen by the BBC and due to be released on Wednesday, stops short of calling for sanctions. It added that contract killings were of great concern in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on the strictest terms ever but the report shows that, in the last six months, judicial reforms have had little or no result. Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on 1 January.
Politicians killed The draft report, seen by the BBC, warned the new members that there was no room for complacency.
The main concern is the lack of convictions for high-level corruption. "Progress in the judicial treatment of high-level corruption is insufficient", it said.
The report says Romanian judges have failed to show they understand their role in curbing corruption. Leverage
Judges in the country continue to hand down suspended sentences or to refer the most important cases, including one against a former prime minister, to the constitutional court. The document says Romanian judges have failed to show they understand their role in tackling the problem.
The report also highlights contract killings in Bulgaria as a great concern. I would expect from now till summer 2008 [to see] Bulgaria and Romania meeting the benchmarks Franco FrattiniEU Justice Commissioner Judges there hand down suspended sentences or refer the most important cases, including one against a former prime minister, to the constitutional court.
It draws particular attention to the targeting of several local politicians since January, which have not led to any prosecutions. The report also highlights contract killings in Bulgaria, which "continue to be of great concern"
Risk to businesses It said that there had been no prosecutions or convictions since January in cases involving killings of local politicians.
The European Commission says it is too early to trigger sanctions and it will continue to monitor both countries for at least another year. The European Commission says it is too early to trigger sanctions, or "safeguard clauses", and it will continue to monitor both countries for at least another year.
The monitoring reports are supposed to keep up political pressure on new and future EU entrants. "The Commission has not proposed at this stage the use of safeguard clauses as sufficient progress has been made to suggest that in time the benchmarks can be met," a statement said.
But the only penalty available to the commission is to refuse to recognise court decisions made in Bulgaria and Romania, such as arrest warrants or decisions on company law. EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini warned that he expected to see results by the time the next report is issued.
Many fear that would hurt western businesses and let criminals off the hook. "I would expect from now till summer 2008 (to see) Bulgaria and Romania meeting the benchmarks," he told journalists in Brussels.
As one EU official put it, it would be like using our only missile against our own navy. But the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels says many fear that by admitting Bulgaria and Romania, the EU has lost most of its leverage over them to reform.