Bucharest
Romania has made great progress in stamping out corruption and is on track to enter the European Union next January, the E.U. said this week. Before 2005, the notoriously corrupt former communist country had prosecuted only one person, a train ticket collector, for taking bribes. Once anti-corruption crusader Monica Macovei became justice minister, though, she opened investigations into a former prime minister, nine members of Parliament, and four current members of government. Romania still has some reforms to complete, including improving its treatment of Gypsies and curbing the trafficking of women into prostitution.
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