R.Epstein
On January 1, 2007, Romania and Bulgaria both acceded to full European Union membership. However, membership isn’t what it used to be. Just look at the Romanian Embassy’s website in Washington where there is a movement for gaining Romania participation in the visa waiver program to gain entry to the US without the need of a visa. http://www.roembus.org. Only Slovenia has been granted fully equal status with the rest of the leading EU countries.
It is likely that other expectations will take longer to realize than expected. Government turmoil does not necessarily stop just because EU membership has been achieved. The Czech’s have been living without a government for 10 months! Poland is run by the “Twins.” And Hungary’s president is a crook!
All in all, EU accession is a key step in the transformation of these former Eastern Bloc countries. Funds that have never before been available for the big ticket infrastructure items like roads, bridges and the like will now flow into these countries from
Brussels. Now it is up to each country, and its citizens, to take advantage of what amounts to the best opportunity yet for general economic stability for all.
Congratulations are in order for these two countries as they have made it through a long and difficult process. I just hope they reap the benefits they’ve been promised.
