New data showed that emigration from Eastern to Western EU members, especially to the UK and Ireland, continued, mediapool.bg said.

Bulgarians and Romanians were eager to try their new rights to travel freely through the EU, EUobserver reported.

Ireland's national insurance agency data shows that nearly 250 000 foreigners immigrated to Ireland since the EU enlargement in 2004.

Total immigration towards the UK in 2005 reached 250 000 people.

Nearly 600 000 Eastern Europeans immigrated to the UK, The Times said. The figures would encourage Bulgarians and Romanians to seek work in the UK, the newspaper said as quoted by mediapool.bg.

Capital Economics consulting company said that 60 000 Bulgarians and Romanians would move to the UK in 2007 despite the restrictions on the labour market.

Immigrants would have earned enough money after 2009 and would start returning to their countries, the company said.