EU and Bulgaria Have the Same Goal: United and Strong Europe Georgi Parvanov, President of the Republic of Bulgaria

Mr. President, the year 2006 appears to be crucial in the recent political history of the Republic of Bulgaria, at least because this year it will be decided whether the country will become EU member on January 1, 2007. Is this the prime challenge and strategic goal of Bulgaria?
First of all, I would like to say Happy New Year to the editorial board and the readers of Bulgarian Diplomatic Review magazine and wish you good health and success in all undertakings!

Back to your question. Bulgaria's membership in EU as of January 1, 2007 is a strategic goal set in the beginning of the transition and pursued by all government institutions after 1990. This goal enjoys unprecedented political consensus in our country. Over all these years, the accession to EU has been a challenge to Bulgaria owing to the huge and complex set of tasks that the preparation for membership requires. This goal was a powerful incentive for reforms in the Bulgarian state and society.

The year 2006, and especially its first months are very important for us. There is no more room for delay of the steps for achievement of EU criteria and standards and their application. However familiar or banal it may sound, we need to mobilize the full potential and efforts of the entire state administration, of the legislature, the judiciary, the non-governmental sector, the whole society. Because membership in the EU has long ceased to be only a part of Bulgaria's foreign policy. Eurointegration is above all our internal affair, involving the adaptation of the Bulgarian state to the requirements and standards of the democratic world. Therefore, I appealed for improvement of the work of our internal mechanisms of coordination, for speedier building up of the administrative capacity needed to work in and with the European Union.

On April 25, 2005 Bulgaria signed the EU Accession Treaty. However, the European answer to the big Bulgarian question is expected to come this May. Doubtlessly, the Bulgarian society is ready. In your opinion, are the European citizens ready for the “Bulgarian borders of Europe” and what is still to be done to win over the European public opinion for the Bulgarian enlargement? In this sense, what is your message to the citizens of Europe?
I would divide your question in two parts. I'll start with the readiness of the Bulgarian society. It is true that psychologically the Bulgarian public is convinced that there is no other road for Bulgaria but EU membership. However, it seems to me that our society is not fully prepared in a practical aspect. In this connection I would like to share with you a concern of mine. The expounding of the rights and obligations of the Bulgarian citizens as citizens of united Europe is slow. There is still a lingering fear from our accession, born by the poor knowledge of the rules that operate in the European space. The preparedness to cross the psychological barrier between “national citizens” and “citizens of Europe” is apparently little. This is my inference from my numerous contacts with our compatriots in different parts of Bulgaria.

Our compatriots should be told openly: Yes, there will be difficulties as a result of our accession to the European Union. These will be felt particularly strongly in the first years of our membership. But at the same time, Bulgaria will gain access to financial resources, expertise and know-how, which will facilitate the overcoming of the distance between us and the EU states.

The second part of your question is about the readiness of the EU citizens to accept our accession. This issue is related to our actions for popularization of our country in Europe, as well as the actions of the political elites in the Member States to convince the EU citizens of the need of completing the Fifth Enlargement, and the advantages for the European Union from the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

It is true that in the last few years we took steps to popularize our rich cultural-historic heritage, our culture and history. I would recall the Europalia Festival in Brussels. Our Thracian treasures were shown in Bonn and in Barcelona. They will be exhibited in Rome and in Paris shortly. All my official visits abroad are accompanied by cultural programs – exhibitions, folklore events, etc. The MPs, and the representatives of the other powers, have no small input in the popularization of our country. Influential Bulgarian “ambassadors” are our sportsmen, musicians, singers, artists. Bulgarian mathematicians, IT experts and many others won prestige not only for themselves but for the country. Nevertheless, this is insufficient. Bulgaria and its input in the European civilization, its achievements and problems are still not known in Europe. Which means further work on the part of the Bulgarian institutions, the Bulgarian society, every one of us.

The procedure for ratification of the Accession Treaty by the European parliaments will be of particular importance, as well as naturally the conclusions of the European Commission. In this sense, it is paramount that the diplomatic potential of Bulgaria and the so-called parliamentary diplomacy be at their best. What is your message to the Bulgarian diplomats in the European countries and, of course, to the European diplomats in Sofia. They are our most fervent and “most diplomatic” readers.

EU and Bulgaria are partners aiming at one goal – united and strong Europe. Diplomacy plays a major role in the achievement of this goal, and undoubtedly our diplomatic service has to be at its best. It is not only to transmit the messages from the capital, but to work actively for their understanding and reaching the policy-makers on Bulgaria. Alongside this, our diplomats should be working for the popularization of Bulgaria in the respective country, to promote economic cooperation, to convince the broad public in our reliability and predictability as a future Member State, to assist the process of mutual acquaintance and cultural penetration.

But I must underline again that even the best arguments of the Bulgarian diplomats could not convince the citizens of Europe and the European institutions unless we fulfill the membership criteria.

During this, hopefully, last year before our full-fledged membership in EU, the diplomats of the Member States in Bulgaria will play an important role. They are in fact observing and reporting the same process but from Sofia. I am sure the Member States diplomats appreciate our efforts objectively and without bias. My multiple meetings with them have convinced me of it. I seize the opportunity to confirm my readiness to continue the dialogue with the Ambassadors of the Member States, to inform them of our progress, problems and views in the field of European integration. Because I am convinced that it is not only necessary to fulfill the obligations under the Accession Treaty but also duly and adequately inform our partners about it.