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Friday 19th of April 2024, 20:04 CET |
| EU Tells Romania, Bulgaria to Solve Social Issues |
November 1, 2002
RFE/RL South Eastern Europe
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Written by Ulrich Buechsenschuetz
Posted by HW on April 19, 2024
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EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Anna Diamantopoulou said on 30 October that Bulgaria and Romania must address poverty, unemployment, and human trafficking if the countries are to gain EU membership in 2007, Reuters reported. "Their biggest problem is unemployment.... There is a need for a radical reform to tackle rigidity in the labor market," Diamantopoulou said. While Bulgaria"s unemployment rate is nearly 20 percent, the Romanian rate is just 8.8 percent. However, Romania must |
reduce the number of workers in its agriculture sector to meet EU requirements, according to Diamantopoulou. She said she does not expect a drastic rise in migration from the two Balkan states to the EU after accession. But she called on the Bulgarian and Romanian governments to fight human trafficking. "Behind trafficking is always the problem of poverty. We believe that developing the economy and creating opportunities for all is the best remedy for this appalling problem," Diamantopoulou said. |
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