EU set to delay enlargement decision

The European commission is set to delay its decision on Romanian and Bulgarian EU entry.

Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso is said to be considering postponing a decision on entry by up to five months.

"One option under consideration is to give either Bulgaria or Romania, or both, some more time to prepare themselves better before a recommendation is made," a senior commission official told reporters on Monday.

The move would allow the EU executive to better assess how far both countries have gone in tackling corruption and organized crime ahead of their scheduled January 2007 entry date.

The commission is due to decide next week whether to allow Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU next year – but commission officials say lingering concerns require additional consideration.

Brussels’ unease is focused predominantly on Bulgaria - where high level prosecutions of criminal bosses have failed to materialize.

But on Monday Bulgaria's prime minister appealed to the EU not to "humiliate" his country.

"It would be a mistake. We are not second-class Europeans. Do not try to humiliate us," Bulgarian prime minister Sergei Stanishev pleaded.

EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn is also said to be considering other alternatives ahead of next week's crucial report.

One could see Brussels place "red flags" on either or both countries to block participation in justice and home affairs.

Another option open to the commissioner would be to delay both Bulgarian and Romanian entry by 12 months.

But this but this would require a unanimous decision by all member states so is most unlikely.

Alternatively, Rehn could delay only Bulgaria for falling behind on reforms – but this is problematic because it would be viewed as a hostile act in Sofia.

The commission report on Romania and Bulgaria will be published on May 16.

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