Bulgarian Government would do its best to guarantee the country's on-time EU accession on January 1 2007, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev said during meeting with European commissioner for regional policy Danuta Hubner.

Stanishev said that the Cabinet was mobilised and the pace of reforms to meet EU accession criteria would not slow down after the country joined the union.

Bulgaria had passed changes in the legislation guaranteeing transparency and publicity of EU structural fund management, Stanishev said. The new laws ensure strict financial management and control and define clear public sector audit procedures.

Stanishev presented to Hubner the country's de-centralisation strategy for the period from 2006 to 2015. The Cabinet had already selected the infrastructure projects to be executed from 2007 to 2008 and began drafting the tender documents.

During the meeting Stanishev said that he was grateful for the help of the regional policy directorate-general and emphasised on the progress the country had achieved in meeting EU regional policy requirements.