Bulgaria's aviation sector put into quarantine after joining the EU
Updated on: 29.12.2006, 14:07
Published on: 20.12.2006, 11:45
Brussels inspectors discovered "grave deficiencies" in safety procedures.
The country will also be warned that 55 former Soviet aircraft, operated by airlines in Bulgaria, could be grounded unless they reach European standards by the end of March 2007.
It is expected the European Commission to support on Wednesday the appeal of the EU transport commissioner Jacques Barrot for applying the ever most rigorous safety measures against a new member state.
The Bulgaria aviation concerns are seen as more serious than the restrictions on the exports of some foodstuffs from Bulgaria and Romania, which also joins the EU on January 1.
The so-called "safeguard measures" will leave Bulgaria outside the single European aviation market, which means the country will be treated the same as any other third country.
That means there would be no mutual recognition of standards, adding costs and bureaucracy to Bulgarian airline operations. Bulgaria will have to arrange bilateral agreements with individual EU members.
Mr Barrot will say the Bulgarian authorities lack the technical capacity or human resources to carry out full safety checks on aircraft parts registered in Bulgaria, on flight personnel or on maintenance organizations.
Mr Barrot was said to be disturbed that Sofia appeared to have done little to address EU concerns about aviation highlighted in a report last year.
The May 2005 report had identified "grave deficiencies" in the ability of Bulgaria's civil aviation authorities to carry out safety obligations. The follow-up study this month was "more worrying than we could have expected".
However, he will not advise European citizens against flying to Bulgaria and there will be no restrictions on Bulgarian carriers operating to and from other EU states.
If things do not improve, Mr Barrot has powers to bar some carriers from European airspace. EU aviation experts will carry out continuous monitoring.
In spite of the EU's concerns about aviation safety and some food products, the Balkan country of about 8m people has high hopes for its membership of the Union, comments FT.
Sergey Stanishev, prime minister, feels his country has received an unfair press, arising from growing public hostility to the EU's enlargement process generally.
