Bulgaria and Romania under attack

"The Commission has opted not to impose sanctions immediately and to continue offering help for a certain period of time. It is being criticised for this decision. The EU must maintain its credibility and impose sanctions on Bulgaria and Romania, some say. But as understandable as their anger may be, the critics are taking an oversimplified view of the situation. How will the citizens of Romania and Bulgaria feel if their two states are punished so soon after joining?" The newspaper argues that sanctions are the wrong approach: "There would be cuts in funding and court verdicts would go unrecognised. Up to now the rule has always been: once a member, always a member. It would be better to have the option of expulsing a state entirely if it fails to adhere to the rules. That way EU membership could continue to exert its magic attraction even after a country joins."

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