Commission wants more judicial progress in Bulgaria, Romania

Interim reports on two countries’ judicial reform and fight against corruption paint mixed picture.

The European Commission has called on Bulgaria and Romania to strengthen their judicial systems and to step up their fight against corruption. In interim reports on Bulgaria and Romania published today (18 February), the Commission highlighted shortcomings but also acknowledged progress in both countries.

Since they joined the EU in 2007, both countries have been subject to regular reporting under the Verification and Co-operation Mechanism.

Bulgaria is committed to implementing its judicial reform strategy, the report has found, and has created a specialised court and prosecution office for organised-crime cases. Convictions in high-level corruption cases have increased, but there have also been prominent acquittals, the report notes.

However, Bulgaria should improve the structure and management of the judiciary, the police and investigative bodies, according to the report.

Romania has provided a “constructive response” to the last report’s recommendations, the Commission said. The country has taken steps to speed up judicial proceedings and to improve the recruitment and training of magistrates. It has continued preparations for implementing new civil and criminal codes.

Romania’s National Anti-Corruption Directorate has continued investigating high-level corruption, the report has found, but also noted that the National Integrity Agency has suffered from budget cuts.

Romania should now focus on implementing the new legislative framework in civil and criminal law and undertake an independent review of the judicial system, the Commission has said. It also called on the country to speed up high-level corruption trials and strengthen its anti-corruption measures.

The next reports are to be presented in the summer.

 

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