
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern (L) was welcomed Friday with an official ceremony in front of Sofia's Monument of the Unknown Soldier by his Bulgarian analog Simeon Saxe-Coburg (R). Photo by Kameliya Atanasova (SNA)
Ireland will open a permanent diplomatic mission in Sofia by the end of 2005, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced while on an official visit to the Balkan country.
He was welcomed Friday by his Bulgarian counterpart Simeon Saxe-Coburg and confirmed his country's further support for Bulgaria towards its EU entry.
It was during the Irish EU Rotating Presidency that Bulgaria closed last chapters of negotiations and wrapped up its accession talks in June 2004.
Later the same day President Georgi Parvanov decorated Bertie Ahern with first-grade state order "Stara Planina" for Irish premier's outstanding contribution to Bulgaria's progress en route to the EU.