On July 4 2008, the dean of the law faculty of Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, Tencho Kolev, opened a three-day international conference “The Lisbon Treaty – an (Un)Finished Reform, that is being held on July 4-6 in Sofia.

The conference, held under the patronage of Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov and French ambassador to Bulgaria Etienne de Poncins, is organised by Sofia University and marks the founding of the Centre on European and Comparative Law for South Eastern Europe.

It brings together legal experts from a nnumber states to discuss the fate of the Lisbon reform Treaty along with other topics related to the development of the European Union.

“I truly believe the starting French presidency of the EU will find a solution to the current Lisbon Treaty issue,” Kolev said.

Kamelia Kassabova, deputy speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, who also attended the opening of the conference, also voiced her hope the long-needed reform of the EU would actually be carried out. “The contents of the Lisbon Treaty synthesise in themselves a long process of seeking solutions for the better functioning of the EU [...] The political investments in the treaty are so big, that neither Brussels, nor the member states can afford that it fail and that the reform remain unfinished [...] On the other hand, we cannot take the Irish “no” for a less serious fact [...] EU's member states have to direct their joint efforts towards the continuation of the ratification process and the entering into force  of the treaty,” she said.

Sofia University president Ivan Ilchev, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov and ambassador Poncins could not attend, but sent their greetings to the participants in prepared remarks.