Despite promising economic growth and reforms in agriculture, intellectual property rights and other areas, Bulgaria has yet to fully prove its readiness for EU accession, EuroNews reported a day after the visit of Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn here.
"Bulgaria must soon show tangible results against graft and crime if it is to join the EU next year as planned," EuroNews cited Rehn as saying in Sofia.
"Rehn told Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev that accountability and independence in the judiciary were needed in the fight against corruption and organised crime, to show that nobody was above the law. He said Sofia had until the end of the month to prove it can tackle the problem; otherwise the European Commission could recommend in a May 16th report to delay its membership until 2008."
The agency points out that the EU has praised the neighbouring entry- hopeful Romania, where prosecutors have stepped up the fight against high-level graft.
"Brussels could also recommend that EU states allow Bulgaria to join next year, but with safeguards governing some sectors."
Bulgaria has drawn fire from EU states for doing nothing to change its "climate of impunity" in which criminals and corrupt officials operate without needing to worry about being prosecuted, EuroNews concludes.