An EU report in May will warn Bulgaria of steps it must still take to join the Union next January, but these can be achieved by the end of the year, Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin said on Monday according to Reuters. The EU's executive Commission has repeatedly asked Sofia to prove it can fight rampant corruption and organised crime, or remain shut out until 2008. Bulgaria's Kalfin said although he expected the Commission's report to point out lingering gaps in reforms, he said it would also note big strides made since last autumn. "There will be areas of concern for the European Union ... but I'm sure the commission has recognised the huge progress that has been made over the past months," he told Reuters. Kalfin said that among other steps, Bulgaria had approved a new penal code and should soon amend the constitution to boost accountability in the slow and graft prone judiciary, which diplomats say has allowed organised crime to flourish. Deputies have also passed crucial laws ensuring Bulgarian food products will be safe for EU consumers and plan to set up a framework to tap EU farm subsidies and development funds before the 2007 entry date. "If we continue working at this pace, we are going to finalise all of our commitments that we have taken in the accession treaty by the end of the year," Kalfin said. Kalfin refused to predict whether the report would recommend 2007 entry or a year delay. --more 22 04 Local Time 19 04 GMT
