France Delays Ok on Bulgaria's EU Accord after May

Politics » BULGARIA IN EU | March 21, 2006, Tuesday // 00:00

France has launched the procedure for ratification of Bulgaria and Romania's EU Accession Treaty, but it will wait to complete it until after the EC releases its May report.

Meeting with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin in Paris, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste- Blazy said he was convinced that Bulgaria would be ready for full EU membership on 1 January 2007.

The bill on the ratification of the treaty, signed last April, is expected to pass to the State Council by the end of March, the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris told Bulgarian news agency.

Romania has also singled out France as a particular source of disappointment for delaying the ratification procedure.

The treaty on Bulgaria and Romania's planned accession to the EU was signed with Brussels in April 2005, but requires formal ratification in all EU capitals before it can enter into force.

As quoted by EUobserver online edition, Romanian Foreign Minister Mihan-Razvan Ungureanu has told reporters Bucharest is not happy with the slow pace of ratification by Member states' national parliaments.

Several EU countries, including those of France, Germany, Austria and Denmark, have put off ratification until after the publication of a key report by the European Commission, due May 16. It might recommend a delay of Romania and Bulgaria's scheduled accession in 2007 by one year.

Ungureanu's remarks echo recent signals of similar nervousness from Bulgaria, EUobserver commented.

Sofia has picked up offshore registered consultants of dubious reputation throughout Europe to identify parliamentarians and opinion-makers in Member states where ratification of its EU Accession Treaty is seen as problematic.

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