PRIME Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg met with incoming European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso on October 18.
"The purpose of the visit was to establish contacts with the members of the new EC and the new European Parliament within the context of the Bulgarian Government's active policy for European integration," Government spokesperson Dimiter Tsonev said.
Bulgarian European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva was also a member of the delegation accompanying Saxe-Coburg on his one-day working visit to Brussels, the Foreign Ministry press directorate said.
Barroso, taking over as president on November 1, took a positive view of Bulgaria's progress in its preparation for EU membership reconfirming his words from February 2004 when he visited the country in his capacity as Portugual's prime minister about Bulgaria's readiness to join the EU from February 2004.
Barroso emphasised the important role Bulgaria would play in EU policy regarding the new neighbours of the EU as an external border. The two leaders also discussed the progress Bulgaria had made in its EU integration and expectations that the date for signing the EU accession treaty would be appointed at the EU summit in December 2005. Both agreed that the agreement should be signed the earliest possible in 2005.
Saxe-Coburg also conferred with EU Commissioner Designate responsible for Enlargement Olli Rehn. Tsonev quoted Rehn as expressing hopes of welcoming Bulgaria as a member state in 2007 who announced this after conferring with Saxe-Coburg.
"It is our country's desire that the agreement is signed the earliest possible next year," Rehn said.
Rehn praised Bulgaria for its membership preparation and expressed his satisfaction that the accession negotiations on all 31 chapters had been completed.
"We will work together so that Bulgaria honours all commitments assumed. I hope we will welcome your country as a member of the European Union in 2007," Rehn said.
Other meetings that Saxe-Coburg had were with Geoffrey Van Orden, British MP, MEP of the European People's Party Group and European Parliament Rapporteur for Bulgaria.
Van Orden said each candidate country should be judged on its own merits. Van Orden also noted Bulgaria's progress towards EU membership, which had been recognised by the EC in its regular report.
As part of his visit Saxe-Coburg had meetings with Alojz Peterle, Slovenian MP, MEP and Member of the Bureau of the European People's Party, European Commissioner in charge of Education and Culture Vivian Reding, who will stay in the European Commission but will be responsible for Information Society and Media and Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, member of the Bureau of the European People's Party.
- Staff Reporter
"The purpose of the visit was to establish contacts with the members of the new EC and the new European Parliament within the context of the Bulgarian Government's active policy for European integration," Government spokesperson Dimiter Tsonev said.
Bulgarian European Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva was also a member of the delegation accompanying Saxe-Coburg on his one-day working visit to Brussels, the Foreign Ministry press directorate said.
Barroso, taking over as president on November 1, took a positive view of Bulgaria's progress in its preparation for EU membership reconfirming his words from February 2004 when he visited the country in his capacity as Portugual's prime minister about Bulgaria's readiness to join the EU from February 2004.
Barroso emphasised the important role Bulgaria would play in EU policy regarding the new neighbours of the EU as an external border. The two leaders also discussed the progress Bulgaria had made in its EU integration and expectations that the date for signing the EU accession treaty would be appointed at the EU summit in December 2005. Both agreed that the agreement should be signed the earliest possible in 2005.
Saxe-Coburg also conferred with EU Commissioner Designate responsible for Enlargement Olli Rehn. Tsonev quoted Rehn as expressing hopes of welcoming Bulgaria as a member state in 2007 who announced this after conferring with Saxe-Coburg.
"It is our country's desire that the agreement is signed the earliest possible next year," Rehn said.
Rehn praised Bulgaria for its membership preparation and expressed his satisfaction that the accession negotiations on all 31 chapters had been completed.
"We will work together so that Bulgaria honours all commitments assumed. I hope we will welcome your country as a member of the European Union in 2007," Rehn said.
Other meetings that Saxe-Coburg had were with Geoffrey Van Orden, British MP, MEP of the European People's Party Group and European Parliament Rapporteur for Bulgaria.
Van Orden said each candidate country should be judged on its own merits. Van Orden also noted Bulgaria's progress towards EU membership, which had been recognised by the EC in its regular report.
As part of his visit Saxe-Coburg had meetings with Alojz Peterle, Slovenian MP, MEP and Member of the Bureau of the European People's Party, European Commissioner in charge of Education and Culture Vivian Reding, who will stay in the European Commission but will be responsible for Information Society and Media and Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, member of the Bureau of the European People's Party.
- Staff Reporter
