Sun, Nov 22 2009
Head of Germany's criminal investigation office Klaus Jansen told German newspaper Der Spiegel that Bulgaria remained unprepared to join the EU in 2007.
Der Spiegel reported that the EU had commissioned Jansen to inspect anti-crime fight in Bulgaria. After the investigation Jansen concluded that Bulgaria had failed to impose modern principles and methodology in the crime fight.
Bulgarian police investigated drug smuggling and money laundering, using two different approaches, which resulted in low efficiency, Jansen said. Despite their high qualification, Bulgarian policemen lacked the will to fight organised crime, he added.
Der Spiegel said that over 100 cases of contract killings remained unsolved. Jansen said that Bulgaria's organised crime would rapidly spread to other European countries once Bulgaria joined the union. He predicted that Bulgaria would face 'a wave' of blackmailing and major shifts in the prostitution and drug smuggling gangs.
According to Jansen, Brussels failed to make Bulgaria fight organised crime more efficiently. He added that the European Commission should investigate thoroughly whether the anti-crime laws were actually put into practice.
Jansen told Der Spiegel that he was disappointed by the media coverage in Bulgaria on his report. Interior Minister Roumen Petkov previously said that in his report Jansen exaggerated the significance of the problems. Petkov protested against Jansen's way of presenting the situation in Bulgaria, which in his words demonstrated Jansen's incompetence.
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