Enlargement was Europe’s only way to become stronger, Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev told French newspaper Croix last week.

Bulgaria would successfully play its role in the EU enlargement debate, he said during his working visit to Paris.

Bulgaria’s path to EU accession was difficult and the country had to make a lot of sacrifices, Stanishev said. But EU accession had also speeded up the reforms that Bulgaria had to carry out.

Stanishev said that new and old EU countries should not oppose one another, because they were all benefiting from the enlargement process.

He said that Bulgaria contracted France for the modernisation of Bulgaria’s military helicopters. The contract was for 60 million euro.

Thus Bulgaria would create jobs in France, Stanishev told Croix.