While conferring with President Georgi Parvanov (R) in Sofia, British Home Secretary Charles Clarke (L) said London would press for Bulgaria to be granted membership of the European Union "as soon as possible". Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (SNA)
British Home Secretary Charles Clarke said London would press for Bulgaria to be granted membership of the European Union "as soon as possible", while he praised the country's efforts to meet commitments to the bloc.
Emerging after a meeting with President Georgi Parvanov, Clarke said the cooperation of the Bulgarian government in the fight against organised crime and corruption made "conditions of EU entry more probable".
The European Commission will decide next month whether Romania and Bulgaria should join the EU25 on 1 January 2007, as originally envisaged, or whether their admission should be delayed for a year.
"The Commission will make its recommendation in May and we will work with that. But I have to say the government of the UK very strongly supports the accession of Bulgaria soon as possible," he added.
Later on Thursday UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Petkov have signed a bilateral agreement for cooperation in the fight against organised crime, drug and human trafficking.