Romania and Bulgaria have both made huge progress and should both be rewarded with a green light to join the EU in January 2007

9 May 2006

Commenting on media reports that the European Commission will recommend postponing any decision on Romania and Bulgaria joining the European Union until later in the year, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President of the Party of European Socialists said “Romania and Bulgaria have both made huge progress and should both be rewarded with a green light to join the EU in January 2007.”

“I share the European Commission’s wish to press for more reform, but postponing the decision on EU entry is the wrong way to get it.”

“The Commission is playing a silly game – pandering to populist anti-enlargement sentiments yet without any real intention of delaying accession. It satisfies no-one, and embarrasses the governments of Bulgaria and Romania that have taken a lot of tough decisions to achieve the necessary reforms.”

He added “I am deeply disappointed by rumours that the Commission might not let both countries join at the same time. This would be grossly unfair, and could only be the result of political pressure from the anti-enlargement right. Bulgaria’s Socialist Government has made enormous efforts in the few months it has been in power, and has fully earned the right to bring the country into the EU.”   

Julian Scola, Press Officer, Party of European Socialists, mobile 0486 117 394