ROMANIA: Romania could join the European Union in 2007 as planned, if it sustains judicial reforms and fights corruption more resolutely, the EU's chief enlargement officer said yesterday.
"The 2007 entry goal is a realistic scenario," the Enlargement Commissioner, Mr Günter Verheugen, said during a visit to the north-western Romanian city of Cluj.
"It must sustain reforms in justice, administration, fight corruption and boost economic reforms," he said in a speech made in German and translated into Romanian.
Keenly watched by foreign investors, Romania and Bulgaria missed the first EU eastward expansion in May. But while Sofia has finished entry talks, Bucharest has six areas of negotiation out of 30 to complete this year.
Mr Verheugen, who flies to Bucharest today to meet government officials, inspect EU-funded projects and talk to citizens, said fighting corruption was crucial for Romania.
"The rule of law is undermined by corruption," he said. "We need to see visible results in criminal investigations at all levels." With national elections on November 28th, EU officials are concerned the ruling ex-communists will be more focused on their political future than passing tough and unpopular EU-prescribed laws.
Last week the EU set a new stipulation, a "safeguard clause", for the two Balkan candidates, which can delay accession by one year if they fail to meet targets.
Bulgaria has accepted but Romania, concerned the rule would separate the entrants, said it would negotiate.
"We plan serious measures in key areas . . . especially enhancing administrative capacity as well as justice and economic reforms," the Prime Minister, Mr Adrian Nastase, told reporters.
Romania has prepared a list of achievements to show the EU: a revised constitution, faster economic growth and slowing inflation, privatisations, and laws banning foreign adoptions.
But laws making the justice system independent of the government and reforming an administration notorious for bureaucracy and corruption have languished in parliament for months while the country went through municipal elections.