"MUFTI" is an old Hong Kong business saying, short for "Money Up Front Terribly Important." That rule certainly seems to apply to the European Union's two newest member states. In both Bulgaria and Romania, anything from obtaining planning permits to getting out of a speeding ticket can be facilitated by an injection of cash. Corruption and the influence of organized crime were a major concern even before the countries' EU accession, and Brussels at one point considered delaying the whole process until the two candidates had cleaned up their act. Now, 18 months after they joined, a new EU report says that still hasn't happened. In fact, it suggests that graft in Romania may be getting worse.