Скачать или смотреть Bulgarians celebrate New Year and EU accession

(1 Jan 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Crowd in Battenberg Square, Sofia celebrating New Year
2. Screen with countdown to New Year on it with Bulgarian flag changing into European Union flag
3. Various of firework display
4. Crowd watching firework display
5. People waving Bulgarian flags
6. A couple kissing
7. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Marko:
"This is an historical moment. It is a wonderful night. We hope for better things in the future."
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tanja, student:
"I don't have big expectations but I know that it will take time so we will see. Bulgaria is not ready economically but we should be more optimistic so
Happy New Year."
9. Two women embracing
10. Revellers waving at camera
11. Various of fireworks
STORYLINE
In the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, thousands of revellers crammed into Battenberg Square and cheered and embraced each other as the clock struck midnight on Sunday.
Bulgarians were not only celebrating the advent of 2007 but their accession to the European Union.
Fireworks lit up the sky over the building where the Communist Party once had its headquarters, and the European Union's anthem sounded out over loudspeakers.
In an emotional address to the nation minutes before midnight, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov called the country's EU entry a "heavenly moment."
Bulgaria and Romania will both become new members of the European Union with the advent of the New Year.
But the two ex-communist Balkan nations, hailing from one of the poorest corners of Europe, are joining under strict conditions and at a time when EU leaders are putting the brakes on further enlargement.
Both countries must report to the EU every six months to show progress in reforms, or risk losing a chunk of economic aid.
Tanja, a student was one of the revellers in Battenburg Square. She said, "I don't have big expectations but I know that it will take time so we will see. Bulgaria is not ready economically but we should be more optimistic so Happy New Year."
Bulgaria and Romania threw off communism in 1989, applied for EU membership in 1995 and began accession talks in 2000.
The negotiations ended two years ago, and the European Commission declared in September that both were ready to join the bloc.
Despite lingering problems with corruption and judicial reforms, both countries have had strong economic growth following years of deep recession. Growth in 2006 is estimated at 5.5 percent in Bulgaria and 7 percent in Romania.
Keyword-wacky

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