No Israelis have been killed, though Palestinian gunmen shot dead a Bulgarian worker traveling on a West Bank road.

The other Bulgarian workers alleged that the police were desultory in their investigations, and went on strike.

It has been reported that Bulgarian workers have been required to pay weekly protection fees to the mafia.

"We look forward to welcoming Romanian and Bulgarian workers here, provided that they comply with our rules and obey the law," Mr. Reid said.

Al Aksa gunmen killed a Bulgarian worker driving a truck in the West Bank on June 30, apparently mistaking him for an Israeli.

Another threatened strike was broken when Italian laborers were replaced with Bulgarian workers.

Since the truce was declared nearly four weeks ago, Palestinians have killed two Israelis and a Bulgarian worker who was apparently mistaken for an Israeli.

It was made up of 600 volunteering Bulgarian workers and soldiers who did not agree with their government's decision to change their allegiance.

We hope that the restrictions imposed on Romanian and Bulgarian workers concerning the access to the Community labour market will be removed.

I call for the barriers preventing the free movement of Romanian and Bulgarian workers to be lifted.