- uncategorized
Expressing ”serious concern“ over the financial interests of EU taxpayers, the Parliament requested ”zero tolerance“ in cases of misuse of EU money, fraud and corruption. This came after the European Parliament gave its approval to the EC’s overall accounts for 2007’s report, adopted by 431 votes in favour and 46 against.
”Eagerness for reform in both countries is very tempered. But in Romania, the situation is worrying because it is getting worse. The government needs to step up the reforms and this special report will keep the pressure on them,“ said a member of the budgetary control committee.
In 2008 the European Commission froze 500 million Euros of EU funds for Bulgaria and 142 million Euros for Romania based on the two countries’ problems in absorbing the funds. Although the freezing was never linked with justice reforms, the Commission stated in a sent to the Parliament that ”releasing funds is of course dependent on the evolution of the legislative and judiciary environment and on the progress on the specific action plans“.
