From La Tribune (France)

In the general indifference ties today an serious attack between the Union and one of its Member states. Bulgaria, the country poorest of the Union, is at the crossroads. Vis-a-vis the challenges of corruption and organized crime, progress remains too slow. The Fee income, in the setting of the follow-up of adhesion, marked its concern, until suspending, in July 2008, part of the European funds. By Dominique de Villepin, former Prime Minister, in the name of the international Advisory committee on Bulgaria.

The European Union (UE) cannot be put up with the risk of an serious attack, for Bulgaria as for itself. There is urgency to find an answer satisfactory starting from a lucid diagnosis. It is what the international Advisory committee for Bulgaria, composed of independent European personalities endeavoured to do, which has just submitted his report, CROSSREF, with the Bulgarian government.

The Bulgarian efforts are not yet worthy of stakes. Since 2007, the reforms did not make it possible to overcome the failures of the administrations and the legal system. Many scams burst. The courtships pain to continue the suspects.

The needs are immense: a consistent shakeup of the administrations and justice to guarantee independence and effectiveness, a rehabilitation of the public service as much as a better coordination between justice and contingents of police. A national pact of tolerance zero with regard to corruption would mobilize energies and the means with the piloting of an independent agency. The government elected in July will have to define a national consensus on reforms as regards education, of competitiveness and fight against corruption. One needs an upheaval of mentalities, after decades of dictatorship and an unfinished democratic transition.

The central stake is the emergence of a true Bulgarian general interest. Any judgment on the situation of the Rule of law in Bulgaria cannot make the dead end on realities economic, cultural and social. Time is the key factor. The approach of the European commission was vigilant and demanding. But it remains insufficient, because the mechanism of co-operation and check out supported, these last years, a strictly technical and static reading of a dynamic situation. By doing this, criticisms of the Fee income are not without encountering incomprehension.

The interdependences are from now on a fact. Decisive engagement took place when Bulgarian adhesion was accepted. The choice of a fast adhesion concerned the political bet. Weakness of the Bulgarian State was known. The strategic issues and energetic were determining. These choices should today be assumed. Nothing would be worse than to remain in the middle of the ford. Vis-a-vis the difficulties of Bulgaria, any rigid strategic planning of Europe would be dedicated to the failing. The follow-up and the evaluation, in existing technical setting, are necessary, but without being locked up in a logic of sanction being likely to place Bulgaria in margin of the EU. One taken into account of the specific difficulties of the Bulgarian State is desirable, but without letting thrive of the criminal threats and policies which would affect the group of Balkans Eastern.

The only solution is to accompany the changes, without forgetting that we have, ourselves, sometimes put decades to achieve them. It is necessary to reconsider the mechanisms of co-operation to face the unheard of situation of a State requiring a rebuilding, with all the partners, Bulgaria, the Fee income, the Member states as well as the European Parliament.

This way only offers to the EU of the warranties for her own future, while giving an opportunity to Bulgaria seize his. Let us invent a new partnership directed towards long-term integration: by joining again the wires of the dialog thanks to a setting flat of the existing mechanisms, by better swaps between Bulgaria and the Fee income; by spreading new co-operations between Member states, on the model of certain profitable swaps in the police domain; by establishing an ambitious time-table spreading out the objectives in a realistic way.

The essential, it is in the future to base this partnership on solid principles, shared and valid in similar situations. Confidence, first of all, because it is advisable to avoid any against-productive stigmatization and to guarantee the free implementation of the policies necessary by the Member state. Liabilities, then, because each country must be put vis-a-vis its engagements. The Union must take care not to replace failing nations. Solidarity, finally, because the pact of adhesion binds all the parts. It creates a community of destiny. Economic and political convergence is the superior interest of the Union. That supposes an financial effort increased in favor of Eastern Europe.

Europe deviates from its original model, because of technical approaches and national selfishnesses. European construction, since the founding fathers, worried to make emerge a continental interest. This one cannot exist in the absence of clearly assumed national interests. To help to build a Bulgarian general interest, it is thus to contribute to the consolidation of the Union, the reinforcement of the dialog with the Eastern neighbors and to a confidence found in the future of Europe.

Let us not mislead there we. The example of Bulgaria is revealing challenges which Europe must take up, in its breast as in its neighborhood. Its successful integration conditions all new widening and any deepening. It will be exemplary of capacity of Europe to pass a new course of its history.

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