• BG - български
  • EN - English
Parliamentary question - E-002857/2013Parliamentary question
E-002857/2013

Protecting democracy and fundamental rights

Question for written answer E-002857-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Filiz Hakaeva Hyusmenova (ALDE)

The next monitoring report on Bulgaria under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism is scheduled for December 2013. As it became clear, a number of Member States have illegally involved Bulgaria’s entry into the Schengen Area with the results from the reports by the Commission on the judicial system and the rule of law. Insofar as these opinions appear to be an insurmountable obstacle for Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen, would it be possible and what would be the mechanism for the European Commission to prepare and deliver an interim report reflecting the possible progress the country has made regarding the Commission’s recommendations (countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Finland believed that it was unfair for Bulgaria not to have an interim report, since there was one for Romania)?

There was a debate in the European Parliament about democracy and freedom in Bulgaria on account of the attempted assassination of Dr Ahmed Dogan, the leader of the liberal party the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. MEPs called on the Commission to monitor the investigation and trial in this case. Does the Commission believe that the course of justice is of great importance in the social and political plan for the country, and does it believe that it is appropriate to include the implementation of the above pre-trial proceedings and court proceedings in cases seen in the Bulgarian judicial system?

OJ C 6 E, 10/01/2014