Bulgarian Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg is in Brussels for his first official visit abroad since he took office three months ago. `Bulgaria`s accession to European Union is not easy, it is a challenge for us but we are aware of its importance and see it as our topmost priority,` the Bulgarian Prime Minister said. According to him, it is very possible if the country makes good progress, the deadlines to be reconsidered and adjusted to 2004 for completion of the negotiations and 2006 for actual accession. Prodi said that he is happy Simeon Saxe-Coburg first came to Brussels and that this fact is a strong signal of the importance of relations between Bulgaria and the EU. He also said that the EU is now determined not just to bring the process of enlargement to a successful completion but to speed it up as well. `After the events of September 11 enlargement became all the more important and grew into an instrument to guarantee democracy, stability and security in Europe,` the European Commission President said. He described Bulgaria`s progress in the accession talks as substantial and pointed out the fact that it has already closed 11 chapters of the Acquis. He also stressed that the achievements of every applicant country will be considered separately. Following the hour-long meeting Saxe-Coburg, Romano Prodi and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen held a joint press conference. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen was positive that the Commission is ready to cooperate with the new Government in the same constructive way it did with the previous one. He said they will do whatever is necessary to help Bulgaria build an efficient governmental administration, carry through the reform in the judiciary and solve the existing economic problems. He did not say whether the report on Bulgaria`s progress due in November will recognize the existence of a working market economy in the country. Asked whether Bulgaria is ready to join the EU soon, Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg said that the process will take some time and all we have to do is work hard. `It is clear that Bulgaria has made a big step forward,` Romano Prodi and Gunter Verheugen stressed. Periodic consultations between the European Union and Bulgaria might be organized in the future when needed.

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