7 in the third quarter of 2006 and unemployment fell from 11

Sofia, as in most of the towns and villages of Bulgaria, the night of December 31 will be long and happy. After sixteen years of efforts, "often painful to change mentalities, the country and the economy", as reminded the Prime Minister, Sergei Stanishev, the Bulgaria joined Europe and intends to worthily celebrate the event a concert monster in its capital, in the presence of most of the members of the Government, the head of German diplomacy, which the country will preside over the Union, Franz-Walter Steinmeierthe European Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Olli Rehn, and numerous other personalities. And little should eschew the feast, the entire Bulgarian political parties are favourable to this membership while the country had missed, without sufficient preparation, the great enlargement of 1 May 2004.

Since then, it is true, the Government successive, and in particular the Socialists-centrist-party coalition of the Turkish minority, in power since 2005, have not spared efforts to avoid that this historic meeting be postponed for one year, as envisioned by the twenty-five in the event of further delays. In 2004 and early 2005, many considered a postponement as inevitable because of the slowness of the reform process, also denounced by the Commission and the twenty-five.

Arrival of investors

But the pace has accelerated, end of 2005, under the dual leadership of Brussels and the international monetary Fund again. "Today, we are ready and the arrival of many foreign investors confirms," notes Dimitar Manov, the young patron of Cibola, a consulting firm in financial services, management and European integration, installed in Sofia.

The economic performance of the country confirm this rosy Outlook: growth is is strengthened, from 5.5 in 2005 to 6.7 in the third quarter of 2006, and unemployment fell from 11.46 to 8.38 during the same period. On the other hand, inflation continues to grow, 5 in 2005 she moved to little more than 6 in November 2006, and the country is the GNP per capita the lowest Union with 3.450 in 2005. The 2007 budget table on growth of 5.8 and 4.4 inflation rate. And the IMF, which has played a crucial role in the remediation of the Bulgarian economy after the crisis experienced in 1996-1997, is now reassuring but careful. "Maintaining a prudent fiscal policy and rigorous reforms will be very important that the country benefits from its membership," explained his representative, last week after a final mission in the country.

Vigilance of the Commission

"We want to make membership a success not only for our country, but for Europe," said Meglena Kuneva, a few days still Minister of European Affairs, a position she will leave to become the first Bulgarian European Commissioner, by José Manuel Barroso of the protection of consumers. She knows that his country should, in the months to come, fill delays that he accuses yet and for which the Union has provided exceptional surveillance measures: judicial system, fight against corruption, the money-laundering, organized crime, management and control of Community funds, not to mention the integration and social dialogue, the fight against discrimination, public health...

Absence of rapid progress, the Bulgaria would face sanctions, ranging from the recognition of court decisions to a partial or total Community agricultural aid suspension. An evaluation report also announced earlier by the European Commission for the month of March, which will put additional pressure on Sofia to succeed its European anchor.