Bulgaria Bulgaria seeks measures after EU funding freeze 23/07/08 20:36 CET

Bulgaria’s government has called for urgent measures to tackle corruption and organised crime after the EU suspended funds to the country.

Speaking to journalists, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said: “We accept this report and its conclusions and recommendations as an ambition, as a challenge to work harder, and to continue the reforms we’ve already started.”

In response to the European funding freeze, more than 80 opposition MP’s filled a no confidence vote against the coalition government.

The head of Bulgaria’s New Democracy party Nikolay Svinarov said: “Today Europe told Bulgarians they did not manage to become real European citizens despite 18 months after the country’s membership to the EU.”

Around 500 million euros of aid has been frozen to Bulgaria, after a damming report on the mis-handling of EU money.