EU-lidstaten geven groen licht aan toetreding Roemenië en Bulgarije (en)

Bulgarian foreign minister Solomon Passi announced on Thursday (3 February) that the EU accession treaties for Bulgaria and Romania have been approved by member states.

Speaking to Bulgarian National Radio, Mr Passi said that the green light had been given by the EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives - where member states are represented by their ambassadors.

"It is very important that we stick to the timetable right now", Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Gergana Grancharova said.

After the necessary constitutional amendments have been adopted by both countries, the text has to be translated into all official EU languages, Bulgarian and Romanian included, by March 15.

The European Commission is then to give its opinion. The European Parliament is to endorse it by April 13 and the treaties, which lay out the terms of the countries' membership, will be signed on April 25.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian government is facing growing discontent and a non-confidence vote.

Bulgaria's National Assembly is to vote today (February 4) on the resignation of the Parliamentary Speaker Ognyan Gerdzhikov.

On Thursday, Bulgaria's Europe Minister Meglena Kuneva warned that if the parliamentary crisis worsened and resulted in the formation of an interim cabinet, it could mean that Bulgaria might be unable to sign the EU accession treaty.