Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-15-Speech-3-181"
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"en.20041215.6.3-181"2
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".
Madam President, unlike Turkey, Bulgaria is quite clearly a European country which has made tremendous progress. I was in Bulgaria in 1990, when the country first attempted to hold free elections. There was still some election-rigging, but the democracy movement was impressive. In many ways, it was reminiscent of the current situation in Ukraine.
Bulgaria has succeeded, step by step, in overcoming these crisis situations, and must now be taken seriously as a very promising candidate for accession to the European Union. It has a rich culture and exerts a major stabilising influence over the entire Balkan peninsula. Although there is still a great deal to do – especially on the rule of law, justice and administration, where further reforms are required – Bulgaria is by far the most advanced of all the candidate countries, unless, that is, we forget a country which we should never forget, namely Croatia.
I would like to take this opportunity to appeal also to the President-in-Office of the Council to accept Croatia at the forthcoming summit without any prevarication or special conditions, and to make massive efforts to ensure that the negotiations with Croatia are opened without delay. Both these countries should become members of the European Union before the decade is out, and Mr Van Orden's excellent report makes a major contribution to this process. One of Bulgaria's particular achievements is the cross-party cooperation established between Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and the Bulgarian President, which is a prerequisite enabling Bulgaria to bring its progress towards EU membership to a successful conclusion in the coming years. Bulgaria enjoys democratic stability at domestic level and is remaining resolute despite the crises affecting a number of areas, including the economy. I would like to say how gratified I am by this development, and that Bulgaria is well on track. I could sum up my speech in a single word: ‘yes’ to Bulgaria."@en1
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