Merkel says more requirements for Romania, Bulgaria to join EU

Germany may raise more demands for Romania and Bulgaria to be admitted into the European Union, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday.

Speaking at a news briefing with visiting Romanian Prime Minister Calin Poescu Tariceanu, Merkel said that she had asked European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to report to Berlin on whether the two countries have met the extra demands by Berlin.

Merkel asked the Romania and Bulgaria to clean up "deficits in interior and justice policies."

Barroso's report will determine whether Germany demands any further measures from the two countries or not, she said, admitting that Romania had made great efforts to join the EU, which has now 25 members.

On Thursday last week, the Bundestag, or the lower chamber of the German Parliament approved the ratification of Bulgaria and Romania's EU Accession Treaty.

The two countries are scheduled to become the newest members of the world's largest trading bloc on January 1, 2007.

Source: Xinhua