The President of the National Assembly Ognian Gerdjikov received today a letter of thanks from NATO Secretary General George Robertson.

The letter says:

“Mr. Speaker,

I would like to thank you and the members of the Bulgarian Parliament for the hospitality extended to me and my delegation during my visit to Sofia, on 17 February 2003.

Our bilateral meeting was most useful, and I was very pleased to address the Bulgarian Parliament in order to congratulate Bulgaria on the invitation to join the Alliance. My address also gave me the opportunity to remind the parliamentarians that Prague was not the end but the beginning of the process and that further progress, particularly in the export control, security of information, the fight against corruption, reform of the judiciary, and integration of the Roma population into the Bulgarian society remain of utmost importance to Allied Governments and Parliaments, which will have to ratify the invitations extended at Prague.

The Bulgarian Parliament plays a critical role in implementing vital reforms. I was therefore particularly pleased to see that there is consensus across the Bulgarian political spectrum to support the ongoing reform process. I am confident that Bulgaria will maintain and, where necessary, improve the pace of its reform process so as to be able to take its rightful place as a full member of NATO soon.”