Duff welcomes caution over Bulgaria and Romania

9.59.41am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th May 2006

Andrew Duff, Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament for the East if England, has welcomed the decision by the European Commission to delay a final decision about when Bulgaria and Romania should become full members of the European Union. In a statement today, Duff said:

"We know that there are several serious issues that have still to be resolved by the Bulgarians and Romanians before they will be fit to enter the EU. Corruption in the judiciary and police has to be eliminated if EU member states and their citizens can have confidence in accepting these two new countries. Their public administration has to be fit to cope with enforcement of EU disciplines and the disbursement of EU funds.

"The postponement of the decision until the autumn is therefore sensible. During this time, both governments should redouble their efforts to meet EU standards. I hope that they will achieve this tough target and that Bulgaria and Romania will be able to join the European family at the beginning of next year. Otherwise they will have to wait until 2008, which would be a demoralising and potentially destabilising situation.

"Liberal Democrats welcome the power of the European Union to transform these formerly poor, corrupt and communist states. We are happy to be able to project the security and prosperity the UK has found within the EU further Eastwards. It is in Britain's interest to enlarge the size of the European single market and to have more stable liberal democracies as our partners."

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