Socialist members of the European Parliament voiced confidence that Bulgaria will enter the European Union on 1 January 2007, but did not rule out the enforcement of a safeguard clause.

The parliamentary Group of the Party of European Socialists in the European Parliament conferred with members of the left-wing Coalition for Bulgaria on Saturday. In the framework of thier visit, the monitoring group also held meetings with Interior Minister Rumen Petkov and representatives of the trade unions and employer organizations.

Jan Marinus Wiersma, deputy head of the parliamentary group, underlined that the enforcement of any of the safeguard clauses is something usual and there is nothing to be ashamed of.

He expressed hopes that the European Commission assessment report on Bulgaria will be objective and fair.

The Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania includes three provisions which allow the Union to remedy difficulties encountered as a result of accession: a general economic safeguard clause; a specific internal market safeguard clause; and a specific justice and home affairs safeguard clause.

These safeguards are the same as the ones included in the Accession Treaty of the Member States who joined on 1 May 2004.

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