Letter from Romanians and Bulgarians living and working in the UK

As Bulgarians and Romanians who live and work in the UK we are excited by the prospect of our countries joining the European Union in the near future. We appreciate the benefits and economic opportunities that this will bring, especially being part of the world’s largest single market.

We anticipate that there will be a plethora of new opportunities for our compatriots to work in other EU member states. Just as many UK citizens have sought to work, study and live in other EU member states, this option will be increasingly available to the peoples of eastern Europe. We are already established and fully integrated in the UK, contributing to its economic vibrancy, business success and the public services.

We applaud the vigorous debate that is taking place in the UK on migration but are concerned at the implication that migration from Bulgaria and Romania needs to be managed more than any other group of immigrants.

We hope that the UK will continue the policy lead it took in 2004, when it was one of only three countries to open its labour market to Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the other countries of Eastern Europe. An open labour market, rather than protectionism, has proved the right course in the past and will do so in the future.

(Signatories signing in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the companies/ organisations they are associated with)

Pavlina Barbarisi
CEO Management Office
UBS Investment Bank

Paul Beza
Chairman
Brittain Engineering Ltd.

Atanas Christev
Portfolio Manager
Kuwait Investment Office (UK)

Bogdan Ciobotaru
Global Capital Markets
Morgan Stanley

Adrian Cojocaru
Personnel and Organisation Director
Four Square - Division of Mars UK.

Assia Damianova
Solicitor
Sidley Austin

Mariana Dodekova
Information Officer
Health Protection Agency South East

Vess Gentchev
Associate
Addleshaw Goddard LLP

Kalina Georgieva
Assurance Executive
PwC

Milen Georgiev
Principal Banker
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Emil Gigov
Director
Close Venture Management

Ozana Guisca
Director
Bridge Europe Consulting

Calin Huma
Managing Director
Indes Ltd.

Stella Ilel
Conference Producer
City & Financial.

Milena Ivanova, CFA
Vice President
Goldman Sachs International

Sylvia Ivanova
Indirect Tax Assistant
KPMG LLP

Lora Kamenova
Business Manager
Elements Group

Lazar Krastev
Consulting Engineer
Balfour Beatty Management Ltd.

Camelia & Gelu Madear
Directors
Cambra Consulting UK

Anne-Marie Martin
CEO
British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce

Kremi McCabe
Yield Projects Manager
The Dorchester

Pressiana McQuinn
Assistant Solicitor
Pysdens Solicitors

Nikola Milushev
Principal Adviser
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Valia Miteva
Finance Director
Renaissance Finance International (UK)

Krasimir Momchev
Software Engineer
Unisys Ltd.

Stefan Naumov
Associate Banker, Property and Tourism
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Tim Nikolov
Director
Abco Commerce Ltd.

Krassimira Olah
World Broadcast Journalist
BBC Newsgathering

Ralitza Ouzounova
Owner/Director
Bulgarian Natural Foods Ltd & Interservice Real Estate Ltd

Alexander Parev
Associate
JPMorgan Chase

Bogdan Patriniche
Director
Calyon

Ivaylo T. Pentchev
Senior Media Analyst
Romeike Ltd

Aleksander Petrov
Director
Lehman Brothers

Alex Pintea
Managing director
Anglo-Romanian Development

Ivona Poyntz
Chief Operating Officer
Office of the Complaints Commissioner

Antoaneta Proctor
Solicitor
Lawrence Graham LLP

Mihai Radoi
Managing Director
Anglo Romanian Bank Ltd London

Dr Lucy Rosenstein
Senior Lecturer in Hindi
SOAS, University of London

Michael Spasov
M&A Executive
NM Rothschild & Sons Ltd

Ivan Stancioff
Former Ambassador to the Court of St James and to the Irish Republic
Former Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Nadia Stoianova
Freelance fine artist

Stefan Stoyanov
Policy Officer
Save the Children UK

Miss Radi Ullinska
Consultant
European Bank for Reconstruction & Development

Dotchka Vassileva–Krasteva
International Project Manager
WS Atkins plc

Mr Deltcho Vitchev
Managing Director
Renaissance Finance International (UK)