Reuters: EC to criticize Romania for corruption, financial sanctions will not be imposed yet

Romania will be criticized by the European Commission for the persistent corruption and deficiencies in the Justice system, but financial sanctions will not yet be applied, European sources declared for Reuters about the country report scheduled to be published next week. Even so, the Commission sees progress in Romania, „despite the political obstacles”.

Bulgaria saw 500 million euro being cut from its pre-accession funds because of frauds. About Romania, European Commission sources say that „there is enough progress to prove that some results may be expected. Romania cooperates and there is a political will to do something”.

The positive aspects remarked by the Commission are the naming of a new Justice minister, the opening of a national anti-fraud agency and the suspending of an ordinance that may have blocked criminal investigations.

Still, the refuse of the Parliament to allow the investigation of „big fish” is seen as an important problem in Brussels.