Ministers Solomon Passy and Minister Meglena Kouneva conferred with European Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen

Foreign Minister Solomon Passy and European Affairs Minister Meglena Kouneva had a working breakfast Monday with European Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen.

They discussed the course of the negotiations on Bulgaria's accession to the EU and the country's preparations for membership. They agreed that a successful fulfillment of the Copenhagen resolutions requires efforts from both sides. Foreign Minister Passy underscored Bulgaria's commitment to adhere to the Copenhagen roadmap in order to make sure that it accedes to the Union at the beginning of 2007. The current achievements in European integration should culminate in a successful conclusion of the membership talks, Passy said.

Expressing support for Bulgaria's efforts, Commissioner Verheugen noted that keeping up the pace of reforms, particularly judicial and administrative reforms, is essential for Bulgaria's accession to the EU. Bulgaria's performance in 2003, which is to be reviewed in the next European Commission report on the country's progress towards membership, is to determine the future recommendations concerning the Enlargement Strategy, the European Commissioner said. The European Commission is doing what is necessary to ensure sufficient dynamism of the negotiation process in line with the Copenhagen resolutions.