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EU Enlargement Talks to be Completed in 2002 Douglas Bakshian, Voice of America The European Commission hopes to conclude negotiations on enlargement with the most advanced candidate countries in 2002, and to be ready to welcome some new members by the end of that year. The 15-member European Union plans to admit as many as 13 more nations in the coming years in a process called enlargement. A Commission Enlargement Strategy paper outlines how the efforts are going. The most advanced candidate-countries are not listed, but the Czech Republic, Malta, Hungary, and Slovenia are widely viewed as leading nations. The report gives evaluations of the progress of individual nations. On the Czech Republic, the report says it meets the E.U.'s political criteria for democratic institutions and respects human rights. Recent developments include more effective collaboration between the Czech government and parliament. However, the report says more reform is needed in the judiciary as well as public administration. Hungary also meets the E.U.'s political criteria, and the report says further progress has been made in modernizing public administration. The judiciary works satisfactorily and the training of judges has progressed. However, the report goes on, corruption in Hungary remains a problem, despite a number of measures in this area. Slovenia is also credited with meeting the E.U.'s political criteria, and there has been progress in judicial reform. However, there has been little progress in the reform of public administration. The report also says Slovenia has a functioning market economy and should be able to cope with competitive pressure within the E.U. in the near term, provided that it completes reforms to increase competition. Turkey is the only official candidate yet to start formal negotiations on joining the E.U. The report states that Turkey has yet to meet the conditions required for talks to get underway. The commission has called for improved human rights conditions in Turkey and democratic reforms. The report also says the growing problem of trafficking in women and children in certain countries calls for strong measures. It does not give specifics, but diplomats say there is a growing problem of prostitution involving poor women from some former Soviet bloc states.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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