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Bulgaria reference

Published: Tuesday 11 January 2005

For Bulgaria, 2004 was "the most important year since the start of democratic changes", according to Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha. Bulgaria turned in its formal application for membership of the EU on 14 December 1995. The country completed accession talks in the summer of 2004 and now expects to attain full membership in 2007. Below are links to key information sources about the country.

Snapshot:

National name: Republika Bulgariya - Capital: Sofia - Monetary unit: 1 lev = 100 stotinki - Population: 7.97 million (UN, 2003) - Area: 110,912 sq km - Internet domain: .bg - International dialling code: +359

Other related news:

Links

Bulgaria and the European Union

DG External Relations: Bulgaria's pre-accession Economic Programme (2002-2005)
Bulgarian Government: Communication Strategy for the preparation of Bulgaria for membership in the European Union
DG Enlargement: Relations with Bulgaria
DG Enlargement: Roadmaps for Bulgaria and Romania (November 2002) [FR] [DE]
DG Enlargement: 2004 regular report on Bulgaria's progress towards accession (October 2004) [FR] [DE]
DG Enlargement: 2004 Strategy paper on Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia (October 2004) [FR] [DE]
DG Enlargement: Accession Partnership - Bulgaria (March 2003) [FR] [DE]
Mission of Bulgaria to the EC
Bulgaria's chief negotiator with the EU, Ms Meglena KUNEVA

News sources

Dnevnik a.m. (in English)
Standart News: (in English)
Sofia Echo (in English)
Novinite (in English)
BTA News Agency (in English)
Dnevnik European Perspectives (in Bulgarian)
Mediapool (in Bulgarian)
Focus News: (in Bulgarian)
BNT Bulgarian National Television (in Bulgarian)

Political institutions

President: Mr Georgi PARVANOV. The President is the Head of State and the supreme commander of the armed forces, elected in direct elections for a five-year term. The President can only serve two consecutive terms. President Parvanov was elected to the post in November 2001, and he took office on 22 January 2002. The President of the Bulgarian Republic -- President Parvanov's biography
Prime Minister: Mr Simeon SAXE-COBURG GOTHA. Former King Simeon became Prime Minister following the June 2001 general elections. Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha returned from exile after his National Movement for Simeon II (NDS) won 120 seats in Parliament, one short of an outright majority. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria
Parliament (Narodno Sabranie): The country's top legislative body consists of 240 MPs who are elected directly for a four-year term. The threshold for parties to qualify for Parliament is 4 per cent of the total votes cast. The current, 39th, National Assembly was elected in the 17 June 2001 vote and consists of the following parliamentary groups: National Movement Simeon II (108 members); United Democratic Forces (49 members); Coalition for Bulgaria (48 members); Movement for Rights and Freedoms (20 members); National Ideal for Unity (10 members); and Independents (5 members). The National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
Government: Key priorities of the Bulgarian government's programme
Constitution: Constitution of Bulgaria -- The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria