NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT GEORGI PIRINSKI HAS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT JOSEP BORRELL

National Assembly President Georgi Pirinski has received a letter from the President of the European Parliament. In his letter, Mr. Josep Borrell informed of the decision, taken by the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, to invite 18 members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, representing the various political forces, to take up seats in the European Parliament as observers.

The letter says:
“The signature of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria to the European Union on 25 April 2005 in Luxembourg marked another important stage in the process of reunification of our continent.
Following on from this historic event, the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament decided at its meeting on 12 May 2005 to invite 18 members of the National Assembly, representing the various political forces of which it is composed, to take up seats in our Institution as Observers. Their term of office will begin on 26 September 2005 and end on accession of your country to the European Union. Only the European Parliament may otherwise establish that an Observer's term of office has come to an end, in the circumstances expressly indicated below:
• in the event of death;
• in the event of resignation, which must be notified to the President of the European
Parliament by the outgoing Observer;
• in the event of a national parliamentary term of office coming to an end; this must be
notified to the President of the European Parliament by the President of the national
parliament or by the Observer;
• in the event of appointment to any incompatible duties listed in Article 7(1) of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage; this must be notified to the President of the European Parliament by the President of the national parliament or by the Observer.
The legal status of Observers and the financial arrangements applicable to them have been laid down by the Bureau of the European Parliament and form part of the 'Handbook for the Observers', which you will find herewith.

I would therefore invite you to send me the names, political affiliations and contact details of the Observers appointed by the National Assembly so that I can send them all the information and documentation they need in order to take up their duties.

I should also inform you that I have instructed the Secretary-General to set up reception facilities for Observers at the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg from 26 to 29 September.”