"Going on along the way of reforms", "fighting corruption", "ensuring a fair judicial system", "making further progress in the area of human rights and the protection of minorities". The European Commission presented today at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg the Report on the progress of the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, placing emphasis on "the many steps that still need to be made" and adjourning to October the decision on the date of accession of the two countries to the "common house". The Commissioner for Accession, the Finnish Olli Rehn, acknowledged "the progress made by these two countries in making the acquis communautaire their own" and their ""good economic performance", as proven by the growth in the Gross Domestic Product and the development of an open and dynamic market. The date of the accession has been set at January 1st 2007, unless a different decision is taken after the new report of the Executive Committee due in October and the final position that will be taken by the heads of State and Government of the 25 member states. "Carrying through dramatic reforms is hard and difficult, but it can be done, and the progress made by my country is there to show it", explains Maria Cappone, president of the delegation of Bulgarian observers to the EU Meeting. "Our fellow citizens believe in Europe, and our country needs to join the EU. This is what we pledged to do for our youth as well". (to be continued)
