The joy of the young

The First of January is an important date in the history of Bulgaria: the country, one of the most ancient states in Europe (over 1300 years of history), has rightfully returned to the European family. Bulgaria has had to overcome many obstacles in its European aspirations over the centuries; it’s enough to recall the 200 years of Byzantine domination, the 500 years of Turkish rule and the 50 years of Communism. After 16 years of democracy, Bulgaria’s entry into the European Community was the one aim that unified the various parties, people of all social classes, the representatives of the various religions, intellectuals and artists. And now Bulgarians are glad to feel themselves Europeans, because in this way they see recognition of their own efforts to achieve the necessary criteria for the consolidation and reinforcement of their democratic institutions and the growth of their economic and social development. It is impossible to describe the joy of crossing the borders of a European country and hearing the word “welcome” instead of being subjected to the usual interminable controls. On New Year’s Day Sofia was immersed in a symphony of light and sound that marked the country’s entry into the European Union. Many were filled with joy and declared: “Finally we are Europeans!”, in the hope that wealth and prosperity would arrive also in Bulgaria; others wonder whether the European rules will help Bulgarians to crack down on organized crime, the trafficking of people and the trade in human organs. So EU accession is a point of arrival, but also one of departure. There is still so much to do. There are also sceptical people, fearful of competition, especially in the agricultural sector in which many small farms could be forced to close. On the other hand, there are also the fears of the old Europeans, who were expecting the arrival of thousands of immigrants after the opening of the frontiers. English journalists even flocked to the airport in London to meet the expected waves of Bulgarian and Romanian workers, but these failed to arrive. For, at least for the time being, the hope is that foreign investments will create new jobs at home, where Bulgarians and Romanians undoubtedly prefer to remain. The most enthusiastic are the young, who in contrast to their Western counterparts seem far more mature because their parents had neither the means nor the time to spoil them. “The young – said Bulgarian European Commissioner Melena Kuneva in a briefing to SIR – are our greatest asset”. The first point on the government’s agenda will thus be to create the necessary opportunities for their future. The bearer of long cultural traditions, Bulgaria has at least in part maintained its traditional values. Question towards same-sex couples does not yet exist in Bulgaria. But people are beginning to speak of civil partnerships and exponents of the Socialist parties are asking that unions of this type should be regularized. “This and consumerism are our greatest fears”, said the President of the Bulgarian Bishops’ Conference, Monsignor Hristo Projkov. The two new accession countries (Bulgaria e Romania), both with a long Christian tradition, as recalled by the Pope in his speech to the diplomatic corps at the beginning of the year, are a point of reference for the whole area of the Balkans where Orthodox, Catholics, Muslims and Jews have lived together in peace for centuries. May this experience of peace and religious tolerance help the other countries of the region to achieve stability and integration in the European structures!