Euro-MP Still Has Reservations Over Romania's Human Rights Record

11.56.51am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Apr 2005

EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg have signed the EU accession treaty of Bulgaria and Romania which will see them joining the EU in 2007. Although she would welcome the two countries joining the European Union, Liberal Democrat member of the Parliaments Human Rights Committee Liz Lynne MEP said that Romania still has to improve its Human Rights record.

Liz Lynne said:

"The accession of these two countries will complete the 'fifth round' of enlargement, so that they join the other 8 Central and Eastern European countries that joined the EU last year. It will mark yet another major step in ending the post-Second World War division of Europe.

"Bulgaria and Romania have made big progress, though some worries remain especially on corruption and human rights. Amnesty International only a few months ago called for urgent reform of psychiatric hospitals in Romania. Many Romanians are given psychiatric treatment against their will or placed in hospitals on non-medical grounds. The group says the placement and treatment of many psychiatric patients violate international human rights.

"The ball is now in their court to make the 2007 entry date, but as both countries now have strong and stable Liberal Democrat governments, I'm confident they will manage it."

The European Parliament has received assurances from the Council and the Commission that Parliament will be involved in the monitoring process to determine whether the two countries can join in 2007, or whether the date has to be put back to 2008.