EUROPEAN Affairs Minister Meglena Kuneva this week issued an update on the progress of negotiations towards EU membership.
Six negotiating chapters remain to be closed and the country is halfway through talks on the Agriculture Chapter.
Bulgaria is yet to close the technical chapters - Environ-ment, Competition, Transport, and Justice and Home Affairs, as well as the chapters connected with the financial aspects of membership such as Regional Policy, Agriculture, and Finance and Budget.
Kuneva said that no chapters had been closed recently because those that are left last for each country are usually the most difficult ones.
"The talks on these chapters will continue to the last moment, they involve serious interests and justifying our demands takes time."
She praised the work of the negotiating team and said that they were ready to finish the technical chapters by the end of this year.
"We are ready to finish the negotiations fast, if we have financial prospects with the same principles as applied to the first 10 candidate countries, which will be a confirmation that we are part of the fifth wave of enlargement," she said.
Bulgaria's performance as reflected in the regular report on the country's progress towards accession, would be decisive for the negotiations.
Two consultations have been held on each - except Competition - since the start of the Greek presidency.
The Bulgarian negotiating team wanted "serious transitional periods" for energy to allow a delay in the introduction of the EU directives concerning air pollution, which would make things more difficult for the energy sector, Kuneva said.
She said there had been a delay in the passage of important legislation concerning EU membership.
An internet portal on Euro-integration will be launched on April 15. At www.europortal.bg, people will be able to find up-to-date information on the progress of negotiations, the negotiating positions and links with Government and other departments.
Six negotiating chapters remain to be closed and the country is halfway through talks on the Agriculture Chapter.
Bulgaria is yet to close the technical chapters - Environ-ment, Competition, Transport, and Justice and Home Affairs, as well as the chapters connected with the financial aspects of membership such as Regional Policy, Agriculture, and Finance and Budget.
Kuneva said that no chapters had been closed recently because those that are left last for each country are usually the most difficult ones.
"The talks on these chapters will continue to the last moment, they involve serious interests and justifying our demands takes time."
She praised the work of the negotiating team and said that they were ready to finish the technical chapters by the end of this year.
"We are ready to finish the negotiations fast, if we have financial prospects with the same principles as applied to the first 10 candidate countries, which will be a confirmation that we are part of the fifth wave of enlargement," she said.
Bulgaria's performance as reflected in the regular report on the country's progress towards accession, would be decisive for the negotiations.
Two consultations have been held on each - except Competition - since the start of the Greek presidency.
The Bulgarian negotiating team wanted "serious transitional periods" for energy to allow a delay in the introduction of the EU directives concerning air pollution, which would make things more difficult for the energy sector, Kuneva said.
She said there had been a delay in the passage of important legislation concerning EU membership.
An internet portal on Euro-integration will be launched on April 15. At www.europortal.bg, people will be able to find up-to-date information on the progress of negotiations, the negotiating positions and links with Government and other departments.
