One Europe: The Dream of Unity : Perspectives : Getting Together: The People Speak : EAST EUROPEAN JOURNALIST

Valentina Iovova, 36, works for the newspaper “Weekend” in Sofia, Bulgaria

“Being left out of Western Europe is especially a problem for Bulgaria. The country lacks self-confidence because of its long period of isolation. We had no chance to compare ourselves with other European countries or the outside world. Now we are trying to fit in, and we don’t even know what it is we are trying to fit into . . .

“There is a positive side, in that (exclusion) makes us more ambitious. We have a great appetite for knowledge, and we want to prove ourselves.

“But overall, it’s negative. We hope sooner or later we’ll reach Europe. In the short term, we’ll manage to do what is necessary to help overcome the problems we’ve inherited from the past. But in the long run, the only way to health is if we are included in the circulatory system of Europe.”