European Commission analyzes Bulgarian and Romanian progress

On 27 June 2007, the European Commission issued its reports on the progress made by Bulgaria and Romania in meeting the benchmarks which had been set by the Commission when both countries joined the EU.The two countries escaped the activation of the safeguard clauses, but the Commission noticed that the progresses in the reform of the justice system, in fighting corruption and in fighting organized crime are insufficient. It also said that it will keep on monitoring, for another year, the two new Member States and continue to cooperate/support them.The most important critic brought to Bulgaria was the lack of results in fighting organized crime, especially the lack of legal prosecution and the lack of penalties in the cases of alleged contract killings (more than 155 starting with 2000).In the case of Romania, the critics went to the way in which the Romanian Justice deals with high-level corruption cases. Very few cases are being solved.