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Brussels: The European Commission issued a scathing indictment of corruption in Bulgaria on Wednesday, suspending aid worth hundreds of millions of euros and barring two key payments agencies from receiving EU funds.
A report on the management of European Union funds by the latest and poorest EU member said the fight against high-level corruption and organised crime was not producing results and the Commission had to act to protect taxpayers' money.
"Therefore, the Commission has taken the decision today to formalise this suspension [of pre-accession aid] and withdraw the accreditation for two government agencies in charge of managing these pre-accession funds," chief Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger told a news conference.
Scathing reports
The two reports on Bulgaria - one on funds and the other on judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime - were the harshest criticism ever levelled by Brussels at a member state, EU officials said.
Analysts said the Commission was trying to set an example to other Balkan candidate countries and to reassure voters disenchanted with the 27-nation bloc's eastward enlargement. "Reform of the judiciary and law enforcement structures is necessary and long overdue," the Commission said. "The fight against high-level corruption and organised crime is not producing results."
Unlike fellow Black Sea newcomer Romania, criticised in a separate report on judicial reform, Bulgaria, which also joined in January 2007, was subjected to financial sanctions.
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