Together we can achieve more, Bulgaria's PM Sergey Stanishev said at a grand ceremony in Brussels thrown to welcome newcomers Bulgaria and Romania.

To celebrate this important occasion, the European Commission organised a major open-doors event in the centre of Brussels, hosted by President Jose Manuel Barroso and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn.

Stanishev and Prime Minister of Romania Calin Popescu Tariceanu completed the enlarged gingerbread-and-marzipan map of Europe by inserting into it two pieces corresponding to the maps of their countries.

I am very fascinated and happy to be here with you, in Brussels - EU's capital, EU's heart. This is a red-letter date for Bulgarians and for the whole of Europe, I believe, Stanishev said in his welcoming speech.

Bulgaria has gone a long way in order for today's festivities to become possible. The Thursday ceremony measured the end of the historical fifth enlargement of the EU, he added.

This is a huge achievement for Bulgaria and for the EU because with us the Union will become stronger and more competitive in the context of globalisation, he said.

The EU is getting closer to its founders' ideal, namely that all European nations are united but their national identity and cultural diversity are equally respected, he added.

Bulgaria will have a constructive role in the joint formation of a strong and efficient EU capable of satisfying the requirements of Europeans. We will give our contribution to make the EU the most successful project of the 21st century because together we can achieve more, Stanishev said.

A "Human Chain" initiative has been launched in cooperation with the music channel MTV. Young people will have their picture taken and uploaded on the TV station's website and become part of the human chain. They will have the opportunity to join their hands with people from all over Europe, first at the live launch, and later through cyberspace.

This initiative will continue all through the beginning of 2007 and will be accompanied by advertisements inviting thousands of young people to participate by uploading pictures from their computer and becoming part of this human chain.

The atmosphere at the celebration was kept hot in the cold winter thanks to the music of the Bulgarian band TE and the Romanian band SISTEM.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!