French President Nicolas Sarkozy (l) met with Romanian President Traian Basescu (r) in Bucharest yesterday to discuss the possibility of a ‘strategic partnership’ between the two countries.

By Marcin Grajewski - Reuters

BRUSSELS – The European Union told new members Bulgaria and Romania yesterday that they had to step up action against corruption and crime but it held off punishing the two Black Sea countries.

“To use a sports analogy, we had a poor first half, we expect a better second one and we don’t want to go into extra time or penalties,” European Commission spokesman Mark Gray said, commenting on a report on reform in the two countries that joined the bloc in 2007.

“Romania should particularly step up its efforts in the fight against high-level corruption,” said the Commission report on reforms to the judicial and home affairs systems of the two countries.

On Bulgaria, Gray said: “Our main concern is that there is a lack of progress in the area of high-level corruption and organized crime.” The report did not recommend any sanctions against them. A fuller progress report is due in July and the EU may trigger punitive measures at any time until the end of 2009.

Under the accession treaty, EU states may refuse automatic recognition, and enforcement, of civil and criminal judgements and arrest warrants issued by Romania or Bulgaria unless they move toward meeting certain judicial standards.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said in Sofia that the report was fair and reiterated a pledge that his country would accelerate its efforts to fight graft and crime.

“I am content with the objectiveness of the analysis. We will make every effort (to tackle the problems),” he said.

International watchdogs say the two countries have the worst corruption problems in the EU, which prompted some Western diplomats to oppose admitting them so soon.

The report praised the countries in some areas. For example, it said Bulgaria had made good progress in combating corruption on its external borders and Romania had implemented certain EU laws.