site.btaЕC Expects Decision on Lifting Bulgaria Monitoring to Be Made This Year

Sofia, October 23 (BTA) - European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova on Wednesday expressed her expectation that a decision on lifting the monitoring of Bulgaria under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) will be made by the end of this year. A day earlier, the European Commission (EC) proposed that the monitoring mechanism be lifted, but a final decision for that will follow consultations with the European Parliament and the Council.

Jourova said: "We assessed objectively the situation in Bulgaria. After the objective assessment, we see satisfactory progress. There are still things to be done. We will continue the monitoring of Bulgarian efforts in the field of the judiciary, the prosecution, the fight against corruption and related things in the assessment exercise [the rule of law mechanism] with which we will cover all the member states."

Enthusiastic comments were heard in Sofia Wednesday, a day after the European Commission released its latest report under the CVM on steps Bulgaria has taken to reform its judiciary and combat organized crime and corruption, and proposed that the monitoring mechanism be scrapped.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov: The lifting of the CVM is a good thing, which should motivate this country even more. We will be fighting, daily and hourly, for the rule of the law, against corruption and contraband trade. What the EC reported as completed is good but more efforts are needed. I want to thank all who worked assiduously so that Bulgaria received a good report. Sadly, some political opponents reacted as if a bad thing happened. When they come to power, they will have a country that is not under the blows of the CVM.

Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov: The recommendation for lifting the CVM is a result of the EC's realistic and objective assessment of Bulgaria's efforts. This is the first instance for a long time when Bulgaria has received a very objective assessment. However, the efforts in respect of the judicial reform, and counteracting corruption must continue. Any form of complacency will be detrimental and take the country years back.

Prosecution service: The EC report on Bulgaria is objective and realistic. The comprehensive rule of law mechanism, which will cover the whole EU and will involve objective reporting by all member states, is the strongest guarantee for irreversible reforms in the Bulgarian judicial system. The prosecution service will continue to work hard in the framework of the National Monitoring Mechanism, set up under a Council of Ministers decree dated September 24, 2019.

Socialist MEP and former PM Sergei Stanishev: It is good news that the EC has promised to discontinue the monitoring of Bulgaria. However, it does not mean that the EU's commitment to the rule of law in Bulgaria is scrapped. The idea to integrate the mechanism into an EU-wide framework for monitoring of member states and couple this with payment of EU funding should make Bulgaria's powers that be to stop and think. It will be disappointing to blow the trumpet today and tomorrow find oneself in the same boat with Poland and Hungary, for example. I hope that the possible lifting of the CVM for Bulgaria will serve as a step ahead in the country's accession to the border-free Schengen Area. LN/DS/ZH/VE