Prime Minister and leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Sergei Stanishev called for rapid ratification of Bulgaria and Romania's EU accession treaty. European integration is a strong moving force behind Bulgarian reforms and should be speeded up, Stanishev said yesterday in Athens during a meeting of the Socialist International Council. Stanishev is participating in the session as a party representative, Sega newspaper reported.

Stanishev spoke about the political stability of the Balkan region. He said the best way for the EU to show its global influence would be to ensure stability in South Eastern Europe. Earlier Stanishev met Greek prime minister Kostas Karamanlis. Karamanlis accepted an invitation to visit Bulgaria on April 14. Next week Stanishev will travel to Italy for talks with his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi.