Germany has always supported Bulgaria on its path to the EU and will continue to do so, especially in the final phase, because the accession of a well-prepared Bulgaria is a longstanding wish of Germany, the Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Germany Joschka Fischer said, addressing the National Assembly during his official visit to Bulgaria.

In his statement, Fischer also stressed that in the remaining 20 months to Bulgaria’s full EU membership, the nation needs to make an all-out effort and to carry on with overall reforms in the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organised crime. This requires a strong political will, he added.

The process of unification of Europe must go on and must be based on the same principles of equality, democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and integration of minorities, Vice Chancellor Fischer said.