The year 2005, which is drawing to a close, has been turbulent and contradictory for the building up of the European Union.

Turbulent because the ongoing enlargement naturally is not as smooth as Grand Place in the heart of Brussels, where by old tradition a carpet of fresh flowers is spread every year – a real masterpiece of art.

However, do the EU member countries have perfect command of the art of diplomacy to fulfill the dream of generations of most progressive Euro-politicians – the Old Continent to be a model of co-existence where there is no room for ethnic or religious prejudices, historical or socio-economic hangovers?

About the contradictoriness, especially after the frustrating referendums on the Constitution for Europe, thousands of pages were written. Let us today, after the European Commission report, handed in on October 26, look in our own yard.

Hardly anyone would deny that the recommendations addressed to us are justified. In fact, these are findings about the state and fulfillment of the relevant clauses of the treaty we signed, so we have no choice but to deliver the undertaken commitments, so that the European Union would be able to fulfill its commitments to us.

Personally I believe that our people, the Bulgarian society and the responsible institutions will be equal to the historical task, so our homeland would feel dignified after January 1, 2007, as a full member of EU.

The third millennium is a suitable time to show that in the global world there are people with different qualities and not peoples of different quality.