News

Huge celebrations have been held in Bulgaria to mark their accession to the European Union, 17 years after the fall of Communism.

Their accession means the EU now has 27 members and half a billion people, and stretches as far east as the Black Sea.
In Sofia, a pyramid of light illuminated the sky, with rays emanating from the city's Orthodox cathedral, its Armenian church, a synagogue, a mosque and another church.
In an emotional address to the nation, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov called the country's EU entry a "heavenly moment".
"The day we are welcoming - 1 January 2007 - will undoubtedly find its place among the most important dates in our national history," he said.
"But let's make it clear, our future success as a nation depends not on European funds and resources, but on our own work."