THE EUROPEAN UNION'S TOP ENLARGEMENT OFFICIAL PRAISED CANDIDATE COUNTRY ROMANIA ON MONDAY FOR EFFORTS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION AND MADE CLEAR THAT NEIGHBOURING BULGARIA IS LAGGING BEHIND IN COMPARISON, REUTERS REPORTED. ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER OLLI REHN REITERATED BOTH BALKAN COUNTRIES CAN STILL JOIN THE EU IN 2007 RATHER THAN FACE A ONE-YEAR DELAY IF THEY CONTINUE FAST PREPARATIONS. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, THE EU'S EXECUTIVE, WILL GIVE ITS VERDICT ON MAY 16. REHN TOLD THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE THAT WHEN DRAFTING THE RECOMMENDATION, THE COMMISSION WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TWO COUNTRIES UNTIL THE END OF APRIL.
