Bulgarian officials had to convince the Bulgarian and European societies that the country would be  valuable EU member, Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin told Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

The statement came following the European Commission (EC) September 26 report on Bulgaria's readiness to join the EU. Bulgaria would join the union on January 1 2007 but under strict conditions, the report said.

Kalfin said that life in Bulgaria would be harder after the EU accession and Bulgarians should be realistic about it.

Bulgaria should continue to reform its juridical system and people should realise that corruption and malfeasance were intolerable, he said.

Head of the foreign affairs committee Solomon Passi told Focus news agency that a new 'European century' would begin for Bulgaria on January 1 2007.