The Ministry of Emergency Situations said on September 30 that the last two remaining regional centres for the Europe-wide emergency number 112 had gone into operation.

With the two centres in Varna and Kurdjali operational, the country had met European Union requirements regarding the country-wide introduction of the general European emergency number, a ministry spokesperson told The Sofia Echo.

The Emergency Situation Ministry said that the idea to introduce the universal emergency number in Bulgaria was launched in 2000. It was a part of Bulgaria's Accession treaty to the EU under the Telecommunications and Information Technologies chapter.

The hotline had to be operational when Bulgaria joined the EU on January 1 2007, but has been repeatedly delayed, prompting the European Commission to launch infringement procedures against Bulgaria on the issue.

In a September 18 decision, the European Commission granted Bulgaria a further three months to introduce the emergency phone number, uniting calls for natural disasters, catastrophes, wrecks, terrorist attacks and emergency medical aid.

Calls to number 112 are currently handled by six regional centres in Sofia, Montana, Bourgas, Rousse, Varna and Kurdjali.