The pressure Bulgarian workers would exercise on the British labour market once Bulgaria joined the EU was going to be unthreatening to local workers, European Integration Minister Meglena Kouneva said.

Kouneva also pointed out that the number of Bulgarians willing to leave the country and work abroad has decreased.

Her comments came in response to the demands of several UK officials for limiting the access of Bulgarian and Romanian workers to the UK labour market. Fears arose that Britain would experience problems with social services if the number of migrant workers increased sharply.

Unemployment levels in Bulgaria were going down, Kouneva said. The percentage of unemployed Bulgarians neared European averages, Focus news agency reported.

British authorities were going to decide whether to open the UK labour market now or in several years. Bulgaria was going to enjoy this right sooner or later, said Kouneva.