April 25, 2005

Bulgaria , Romania sign EU accession accords setting stage for entry in 2007

By ROBERT WIELAARD
Associated Press Writer

LUXEMBOURG (AP) _ Bulgaria and Romania signed their accession treaties Monday with the European Union, setting the stage for their entry into the bloc in 2007 if they complete the necessary political and economic reforms on time.

The EU insisted on a clause in the treaties allowing the bloc to delay the entry of either country by a year if needed reforms are not enacted. The proviso, which other candidates have not had to deal with, reflects lingering doubts about the readiness of the two relatively poor Balkan nations, officials said.

Leaders from the two former Communist countries signed their respective treaties at the old Neumuenster Abbey in the historic heart of Luxembourg city .

Their signatures were met with warm applause at the ceremony attended by Luxembourg 's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and the foreign ministers of the EU's 25 members.

Juncker , whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said Bulgaria and Romania have much to do before joining the bloc, yet have both come a long way.

"The truth is that Bulgaria and Romania ... have not known freedom as we have" in post-war Europe . "Today we put an end to that," he said in a speech ahead of the signing.

Romanian President Traian Basescu said after signing the treaty that "EU membership will represent the fulfillment of a dream more than half a century old."

"I can assure you that we will spare no effort in fulfilling our commitments," he said. "We will continue with our preparations, with energy and determination. We have no intention of missing" the 2007 entry date.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski said his country was marking "yet another step toward the unity of the continent and are coming closer to the ideal of (the EU's ) founding fathers to bring together the European nations."

"We shall focus on reforms that still remain to be effected ," he added.

The entry accords must still be ratified by the legislatures in all 25 EU countries over the next 20 months.

Monday's signing comes almost a year after the EU welcomed the entry of 10 mostly eastern European countries, May 1.

The EU declared Romania a market economy only last June, and to join the bloc in 2007 it must eradicate corruption, cut down on state aid, boost justice and law enforcement, respect the rights of its Roma minority and improve environmental protection and antitrust rules.

Bulgaria must get a handle on corruption, adopt a new penal code and combat organized crime.

The European Commission is to issue an update in November on the reform efforts of the two countries.