The cacophony of a spectacular fireworks show thrilled the thousands who gathered on Sofia’s central Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square to welcome the New Year and Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union.

Up to the final countdown into 2007 and the EU, the crowd enjoyed a spectacular concert organised by Bulgarian National Television, featuring some of Bulgaria’s favourite singers and bands.

There was, however, a difference in tone to the euphoria of the 2004 celebrations when 10 new states joined the EU. Many of the people in the square, as well as Bulgarians celebrating in other cities and towns, wore paper tricolour ribbons inscribed “You Are Not Alone” as a token of solidarity with the five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death in Libya on false charges of causing an AIDS epidemic among Libyan children. Many were pinning their hopes on EU entry helping to bring freedom to the medics in Libya.

After the traditional countdown, when the Bulgarian flag transformed into that of the EU a few seconds before midnight, the national anthem was played. For first time it was followed by the European anthem, Ode to Joy, performed first by a full symphony orchestra and choir in the original German, and later on a cappella by a group of folk singers in both the German and Bulgarian languages.

World famous light artist Gert Hof staged a magnificent laser show in the night sky, with the illuminations and fireworks providing a glittering arch under which the crowd joined in the horo, the traditional Bulgarian circular dance. All major TV channels and radio stations in the country broadcast the event live, and media from other European countries were present to report on the new member state’s EU accession celebrations.

After a recorded message from European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev congratulated Bulgarians on the country’s EU accession.

“A dream came true today: the dream of generations of Bulgarians, who have always wanted to live together with Europe's free democratic peoples in peace and prosperity,” Stanishev said.

“We have proven to the Europeans and to ourselves that we can succeed when we work hard. Now we have every reason to be proud of our past, culture, alphabet and what Bulgaria contributes to the EU: a capability to develop fast, to adapt to change, a can-do spirit,” he said. “We will not give up our drive to secure the return of the nurses from Libya safe and sound. They have yet to share our celebrations with us,” Stanishev said. He wished all Bulgarian citizens health, happiness and love during the New Year.

In a taped address broadcast on television shortly before midnight, President Georgi Purvanov said that Bulgarians’ success as a nation depended on their own efforts. The beginning of 2007 was a “star moment” for Bulgaria, “a moment not only of opening the calendar on yet another year but of overcoming a historical divide”, Purvanov said. He said that January 1 2007 would undoubtedly go down in Bulgaria’s history as one of its landmarks.

“Tomorrow we enter the EU with our language and alphabet, with our centuries-old history and traditions, with our achievements and weaknesses, with our hopes and concerns,” Purvanov said. He thanked everyone whose efforts had meant the achievement of the goal: Bulgaria becoming part of a community of prosperity, social justice and solidarity. “But let us realise right away that our future success as a nation will depend not so much on EU funds and resources as on our own efforts,” Purvanov said. He spoke of his wish for better opportunities for Bulgaria’s talented youth, a dignified old age for all parents and more care, warmth and kindness in the treatment of both young and old. “If we want to protect our children from violence and aggression, we should first look at ourselves and our relationships with others, not forgetting that tolerance and goodness have always been an integral part of our national tradition,” Purvanov said. “The outgoing year put both the nation in general and a lot of Bulgarian families in particular through hard tests,” he said. “That is why our thoughts are with our compatriots all over the world; that is why we are rising as one in support of the Bulgarian nurses in Libya. You are not alone! This is the message of solidarity of the entire Bulgarian and international democratic community.” Purvanov said that his wish for Bulgaria was that 2007 be a year of solidarity, understanding and support for all disadvantaged people and all Bulgarians in need.

The EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania means that the population of the newly enlarged union of 27 members now is about 500 million and stands out as the world’s biggest market and trade partner in value terms.

The two new member states organised joint celebrations at the Danube Bridge connecting Bulgaria’s city of Rousse with Giurgiu of Romania. There were fireworks displays in almost all towns on both banks of the Danube River, which forms about 80 per cent of the borderline between the two countries. Romanians and Bulgarians met to congratulate each other at the border.

Later on January 1, leaders and members of all main parties in Bulgaria attended a military ceremony to raise the Bulgarian and EU flags in front of the Unknown Soldier monument in Sofia. Large number of diplomats and EU officials also attended the celebrations in Sofia, including the President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, and Germany’s foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose country took over the rotating presidency of the EU on January 1.