Bulgaria, Romania to join E.U.
The week's news at a glance.
Brussels
After seven years of talks, the European Union has formally invited former Warsaw Pact countries Bulgaria and Romania to join the union. The two will become E.U. members next January—provided they meet some tough conditions. Before being given all the rights of full members, both countries must demonstrate that they have completed various economic and judicial reforms. The extra conditions were meant to reassure current member states worried that their labor markets could be flooded with East European job seekers. Bulgarian and Romanian leaders expressed confidence that they would qualify. For Bulgaria, said Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, “this is the genuine and final fall of the Berlin Wall.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
6 sun-drenched homes by the sea
Feature Featuring a large patio overlooking the ocean in Laguna Beach and a marble rainfall shower in Norwalk
-
Is China winning the AI race?
Today's Big Question Or is it playing a different game than the US?
-
5 refreshing podcasts you may have missed this spring
The Week Recommends Exploring the cultural impact of Jerry Springer, a look at contemporary spending habits and more