With 195 votes in favour and only 15 against, Bulgaria's Parliament ratified on March 21 the European Union Reform Treaty after five hours of parliamentary debate.

All 10 members of Parliament (MPs) from nationalist Ataka party voted against the treaty, extending the debate with their demands for a nationwide referendum on the issue. They were backed by five independent MPs.

The vote was held in the presence of Bulgaria's President Georgi Purvanov, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and members of the diplomatic corps.

Bulgaria became the sixth EU member state to approve the treaty, which will bring large-scale reforms within the bloc. The first five countries to ratify the treaty were France, Hungary, Malta, Romania and Slovenia.

All EU member states have to individually ratify the treaty, signed by EU leaders in December 2007. It will enter into force on January, but only if all countries ratify it by January 1 2009.

The treaty is meant to replace the draft EU constitution, intended to optimise operations within the bloc and do away with the consensus principle, which has slowed down decision making processes in the EU, especially after the accession of 12 Eastern European countries since 2004. It will also create the post of EU president and a high commissioner in charge of EU foreign policy.