Bulgaria has not received yet in Europe the recognition it deserves, Juergen Gramke, Head of the

Management Board of the Institute for European Affairs (INEA), based in Duesseldorf, Germany, said on Wednesday. INEA Management Board meets for the first time in Bulgaria.

INEA members discussed the development of Bulgaria in the recent years and the way this country will cope with the challenges of the world economic crisis, Gramke added.

INEA Board member and former European Commission's president Jacques Santer pointed out that when he visited Bulgaria for the first time in 1995 nobody guessed that this country will accede the European Union. Since 2001 Bulgaria has walked over its difficult but successful road in favour of its citizens, especially after 2007, when it acceded the European Union, Santer said.

Recently Bulgaria had some difficulties related to the European institutions, however after a presentation by Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plougchieva [in charge of EU Funds Management], the Board found out that this country is observing its obligations completely. "We can only encourage the Bulgarian Government to continue along this road," Santer added. The data presented by Plougchieva show that Bulgaria is actually in a very good situation compared to other countries in overcoming problems, he added.

The European institutions appreciate highly and place confidence in Plougchieva, Gramke said. Since she has taken her position, the relations with Brussels received further development.

INEA Management Board had its meeting in Bulgaria at the invitation of Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and former prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The sessions took place in the mountain resort Borovets (Southwestern Bulgaria) on Tuesday and at Boyana Residence in Sofia on Wednesday.

Besides Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Santer, INEA Management Board include also former Turkey's prime minister Mesut Yilmaz, former chancellor of Austria Alfred Gusenbauer, former director of the European Central Bank Otmar Issing, among others.

Source: BTA