Bulgaria and Romania face EU sanctions over corruption

European Commission officials are to visit Sofia and Bucharest this week to assess judicial reforms, EURACTIV Romania reports. The visit takes place amid mounting pressure in Brussels to invoke so-called “safeguard clauses” against the two countries, which could result in EU funds being slashed.

The two EU newcomers are struggling hard to avoid a “worst-case scenario” ahead of a Commission monitoring report expected in July, report EURACTIV Bulgaria and EURACTIV Romania. 

Experts from the European Commission will visit Sofia and Bucharest in the week of 19-23 May to assess the justice reforms, EURACTIV Romania writes. According to reports in the Romanian press, the mission takes place at a time when some officials in Brussels are wondering whether taking the two countries onboard as early as January 2007 was “a mistake” and are applying pressure to activate the safeguard clause on justice. 

Both countries could lose EU funds or have their national court decisions annulled if a safeguard clause is triggered against them. 

Corruption still rife in Romania despite EU accession 

Prosecutors have gathered substantial evidence on corruption cases against Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, former transport minister Miron Mitrea, current Labour Minister Paul Pacuraru and five other senior officials, the media reported. 

Although this could be an important test case for the country, the Romanian constitutional court ruled that the Parliament must give its approval to investigate high-ranking politicians. This prompted Romanian President Traian Basescu to call the constitutional court “a shield for corruption”. 

A telling image of what corruption can represent in Romania was provided by the discovery of €1.7 million in cash in the boot of a car belonging to oligarch, football club owner and populist politician Gigi Becali. He said the money was intended “to buy chocolate and candy”. Strange as it may seem, the courts often consider such explanations to be valid. 

The high-profile cases may remain taboo, but at least statistics from the anti-corruption prosecutors’ office (DNA) show that hundreds of people have been indicted in recent months and dozens convicted. What remains to be seen is whether the Commission will find these developments satisfying. 

Justice is not the only problem area. According to reports in the Romanian press, the country could lose a large part of its EU agricultural funds due to poor management of the programmes. 

Bulgaria also under EU scrutiny 

Romania is not the sole focus of the Commission though. Bulgaria could also lose most of its EU funding because of loopholes in the management of programmes and a perceived high degree of corruption, according to sources cited by EURACTIV Bulgaria in an article last week. 

Earlier this month, legal proceedings were launched against a former chief of the roads agency, who is accused of misusing over €50 million in EU funding. This public money was allocated to a company owned by his brother. 

In an attempt to manage the crisis, Sofia earlier this month appointed a new deputy Prime Minister who was given special responsibility for the management of EU funds (EURACTIV 13/05/08). 

In another move on 13 May, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev gave his new deputy, Meglena Plugchieva, the green light to sack any civil servant whom she would consider incompetent. Stanishev also stated that the administration and the government will work around the clock, even on week-ends, to meet Brussels’ requirements. 

The Bulgarian daily Dnevnik published an interview with EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Huebner who said on Thursday (15 May) that the tackling of the road fund issues will be a test for Bulgaria to prove that it can abide by the rules when dealing with EU money. 

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