A Reuters news agency report entitled Impoverished Bulgaria Looks to EU Entry Next Year presented living conditions in the country and the manner in which many people lived below the poverty line.

Bulgaria’s per capita GDP reached only one third of the EU average, Reuters reported. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report already predicted that Bulgaria would be EU’s poorest member once it joined the union.

Both Romania and Bulgaria, which expect to enter the EU on January 1 2007, “will face unprecedented problems upon membership as they come under … pressure for further economic restructuring”, Reuters said.

The government in Bulgaria has tried to reform the economy and improve standards of living.

Average wages in Bulgaria increased by nearly 40 per cent since 2001. Yet, a large number of people lived with less than two euro a day and purchasing power in the country was lower than during communist times, the report said.

According to surveys the average income was 204 leva a month. Poorest Bulgarians received funds only from state subsidies, which could go down because of pension increase and education reforms.

"I expect Bulgaria to be lagging behind and to be dependent on the [EU] for a long time. It will be a member always asking for further help and support," said Belgian Leuven University professor Ides Nicaise as quoted by Reuters.