With the votes of 231 MPs Bulgarian Parliament gave its ratification vote on the EU Accession Treaty the government signed April 25.

A former member of Bulgaria's ruling party Simeon II National Movement became the sole lawmaker that voted against the ratification. Stela Bankova who is now an independent MP explained that she supported EU integration in general, but lashed the government for the way it held pre-accession negotiations.

Bankova critisized Bulgarian diplomats for agreeing to close down the Kozloduy nuclear power plant despite experts' reports that it was perfectly safe.

Two abstaining votes pertained to the leftist opposition in Parliament.

In order to pass the law on ratification of the EU Accession Treaty of Bulgaria, it had to reap at least two thirds of the votes on both first and second reading.

The National Assembly held a solemn session on Wednesday attended by presidents Georgi Parvanov and Petar Stoyanov, Bulgarian Patriarch Maxim, the Chief Mufti and many foreign diplomats.

Addressing the lawmakers, Parliament Speaker Borislav Velikov said that this day would be a landmark in Bulgarian history. "The ratification of the Treaty is the most crucial legislative act since the 1991 inauguration of the Constitution," Velikov pointed out.

Also on Wednesday Velikov signed a letter to the President for the issue of a decree for promulgation of the EU Accession Treaty ratification law.

The key document was signed by Sofia and Bucharest in Luxembourg on April 25, marking one of the last steps towards EU accession. The treaty contains a safeguard clause delaying entry for a year if either country fails to meet EU standards.

The EU wants the independence of the judiciary to be strengthened and more efforts to tackle corruption in what will be its poorest member states.

Romania also announced it plans to ratify the Treaty before the summer parliamentary holiday. The EU accord with the two Balkan entrants-to-be must be ratified by all EU Member states as well to enter into force.

Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the bloc of 25 in January 2007.