One single signature, one ratification by parliament and an annual fee of 60 000 euro separated Bulgaria from the European meteorological system which would guarantee exact 10 day forecasts instead of the current 3 day expectations.

The exactness of weather forecasts depends on the state, Valeri Spiridonov, deputy director of the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAN), was quoted by Dnevnik daily as saying.

Bulgaria was an approved member of the European centre for medium-term forecasts in the UK, and was ready to join the centre. What was needed was for the documents to be signed by a representative of the government and for the parliament to approve the agreement.

According to Spiridonov, if action was taken now, NIMH could become member of the organisation in June 2008. Bulgaria would have to pay a membership fee of 60 000 euro for the first five years, after which the fee would be half that amount. The fee was based on the Bulgaria's 2005 GDP and if we would delay membership, the fee would be re-calculated and probably go up, Spiridonov said.

The use and economical value of the meteorological data would be worth many times the fee, Spiridonov said.