Safeguards to Turn Bulgaria into "Second-Class EU Member"

Politics » BULGARIA IN EU | May 14, 2006, Sunday // 00:00
Safeguards to Turn Bulgaria into "Second-Class EU Member" This file photo shows Graham Watson (R) , leader of ALDE in EP, during a visit to Sifa in October 2005, together with the then-PM Saxe-Coburg. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia News Agency)

An eventual triggering of safeguard clauses for Bulgaria will turn it into a second-class member state in the perception of Europeans, said Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament.

In an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio, Watson expressed confidence that Bulgaria will be ready for EU membership if reforms are implemented at full speed by the end of the year.

"We know that a lot has been done, but we also know that quite a lot remains to be done in the months until the end of the year. I think the European Commission will say "yes".

Watson explained the safeguard clauses were designed to make sure that if "things look not good enough" at the last moment, member states are able to delay or at least qualify the membership of the applicant country.

"The best way to stop the speculations about safeguard clauses is for Bulgaria's government to move quickly and decisively to make all of the final reforms."


"Everybody has been working towards Bulgaria and Romania joining on January 1, 2007. The European Commission and EU member states experts have worked together with the Bulgarian government and a series of reports have been issued on the progress made, " Graham said.

Drawing a comparison with Lithuania or Poland eight months before they joined, Graham said Bulgaria is in a similar position. He stressed the importance of implementing reforms in the judiciary.

Asked whether he considers himself a friend of Bulgaria, Watson said he would rather describe himself as a friend of the European people. "I want to see the European people reunited in order to live together in peace, harmony and prosperity."

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Bulgaria in EU » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria