UN General Assembly
1994

European States have opened up in the process of promoting a common European identity. On the other hand, new, as well as reawakened, national interests and policies are taking shape, and these are interacting with and, at the same time, counteracting the integration processes. The end of the ideological and military confrontation on the old continent has not yet led to the removal of all barriers. Europe is still divided into zones that differ in terms of security and economic welfare. It is desirable that this division be overcome, as the problems of the zones with less security could be transferred to those with greater security. The global political dimension of the ongoing transition to democracy and a market economy in Central and Eastern Europe has been largely recognized. Despite the serious decline in living standards and rising unemployment, the Bulgarian people voted for transition. The process of market-orientated reform that started about five years ago is irreversible. Our association with the European Union is a manifestation of the European orientation of my country’s policy and an expression of the