Balloons Launch Bulgaria's EU Entry Countdown

A total of 616 blue balloons, symbolizing the days ahead to Bulgaria's EU entry, flew into the sky over Sofia just minutes after the country signed the accession treaty with the European Union in Luxembourg. The event was joined by members of the National Association of Bulgarian European Clubs, students and guests of the EU Information Center, and Sofia residents. The ceremony was also attended by Dimitris Kourkoulas, head of the European Commission Delegation to Sofia. Earlier in the day Dimitris Kourkoulas wished successful trip en route to EU to Sofia members of the National Association of Bulgarian European Clubs during a meeting at the EU Information Center. The students marked the event by selecting Bulgaria's twelve key steps to EU accession since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and the European Economic Community in 1988 till Monday's signing of the accession treaties. Their presentation, delivered through pictures, also described the legal steps each country should take to enter the bloc. According to cited data from Eurobarometer surveys, Bulgarians embrace the European Union and show trust in the democracy of the European institutions. At the same time however the surveys alert that Bulgarians do not know much about these institutions. "The students believe that the perfect European should be a well-informed peace keeper, just and tolerant", Krassimira Vassileva, chair of the National Association of Bulgarian European Clubs, said. She underlined that Bulgaria's young people are fully aware of the responsibility that each should bear in relation to the country's EU accession.