EU need not fear influx of Bulgarian workers: PM

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev said Thursday the rest of the European Union had no reason to fear an influx of Bulgarian workers after his country joins the bloc in January.

"The easiest thing is to play with fears," he told reporters in Berlin on his first trip abroad since the European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- Tuesday gave Bulgaria and Romania the go-ahead to accede on January 1, 2007.

Stanishev dismissed concerns raised by several EU member states that Bulgarian manpower could swamp local job markets.

"There will be no waves of Bulgarians," he said, noting that many Bulgarians worked in Greece and Italy, for example, without throwing the labor market off-kilter.

According to the Economy Institute in Sofia, more than 750,000 Bulgarians have emigrated since the fall of communism, sparking a serious demographic crisis at home. Most have settled in neighboring Greece, as well as Italy and Spain.

The European Commission, facing a growing wave of "enlargement fatigue", Thursday pleaded with member nations to welcome in migrant workers from Bulgaria and Romania when they join the Union next year.

The message was aimed in particular at Britain and Ireland which, with Sweden, were the only EU members to welcome in workers from the 10 countries which joined the club in 2004.

Stanishev met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Wednesday and stressed Sofia's strong ties with Berlin.

The German parliament must approve Bulgaria's and Romania's bid to join the EU along with the legislatures of the other 24 member states, and is scheduled to hold a preliminary debate October 19.

"We know we are not perfect," Stanishev said, noting the strict requirements imposed by Brussels for Sofia to fight rampant corruption and organized crime.

"Bulgaria will be ready to take all its obligations."