Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at a dinner in honour of the President of Bulgaria at the Presidential Palace on 9 November 2004

Mr President and Mrs Purvanova,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I cordially welcome you and your companions to Finland this autumn. Winter is just around the corner here in the North, but that doesn't change the warm atmosphere that has always characterized relations between Finland and Bulgaria. I remember my own visit to your country a year and a half ago with great warmth.

Our relations have deep roots. Earlier today you paid your respects at the Gornyi Dubnjak memorial in the courtyard of the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff. This memorial is a vivid reminder of the links between our countries' and peoples' fates in past centuries.

The traditionally good relations between our countries have received new meaning as European integration has proceeded at a fast pace. Bulgaria's membership negotiations with the European Union have already reached the final stretch.

A month ago the European Commission issued a report on Bulgaria's progress in meeting the conditions for membership. Finland agrees with the Commission's evaluation and we expect that Bulgaria will soon meet all the accession criteria. In this case an accession treaty could be signed next year and Bulgaria could join the EU family at the beginning of 2007. I congratulate you on your successful negotiations and wish you perseverance in implementing the treaties.

We have noted that EU membership enjoys the strong support of the Bulgarian people. This is vital so that you can continue reforms to strengthen democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as good governance. The support of the people is also important so that a new member will have a strong position in the Union from the start and can get all the benefits of memberships.

We Finns are ready to share our own experiences with you. We have already participated in building the Europe Information network in your country by helping to establish the Europe Information office in Kystendil. We look forward to future cooperation based on your wishes.

Mr President, I am sure that Bulgaria's membership of the EU will not only increase our cooperation in the Union's institutions but will also raise our bilateral relations to a new level in this globalizing world.

As a result of membership our people can get to know each other in a new way and mutual interest can increase, especially among students and in the business world. Finnish tourists discovered the golden sands of Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts years ago. EU membership will also increase awareness and interaction between our cultures. Although this interaction has long traditions, we can still do a lot to expand it.

During my state visit last year we noted the possibilities for broad industrial and commercial cooperation between our countries. Finnish businesses expressed great interest then, and this interest has grown as your accession to the EU approaches. You had an opportunity to observe this together with your business companions in your discussions at Finpro today.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to propose a toast to President and Mrs Purvanova, to the people of Bulgaria and to closer cooperation between Finland and Bulgaria.