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Spy saga: Bulgaria’s "Cambridge Five" or just a smoke-mirror?
The story of five members of the Bulgarian counterintelligence service have reached NATO, but it reveals more about the country’s unreformed institutions than Moscow’s spy efforts
What’s the problem with Bulgarian media?
A combination of market trends and murky political interference has turned the media environment toxic, with only islands of professionalism remaining
A very Bulgarian spy saga
Sofia is highly selective when it comes to expelling Russian spies – and its interests in general
Eyes wide shut (no more?)
The EU faces a conundrum: either get tough on Boyko Borissov or accept his "Orban lite" model
What is the Bulgarian mafia – and why does it matter?
"Thugs – out" and "Mafia" have become the signature chants of this summer’s anti-governmental protests. There are deeply rooted reasons for this.
Obtaining investment protection in Bulgaria
The spiking political risk and the termination of Intra-EU bilateral investment treaty program are conflating in a dangerous spiral
Seventeen moments of autumn
The recent spate of "spying scandals" involving Russian diplomats and the leader of Bulgaria’s National Russophile Movement Nickolay Malinov are more reminiscent of a bad Soviet-era joke rather than a real espionage drama
The Oligarchs' Coffer
The state-owned Bulgarian Development Bank has morphed from a small and medium-sized business aide to a lender of last resort for unstable and sometimes unsavory large companies
Pushing reform through the back door
The Ministry of Health is attempting to revamp the ailing health care sector through increased government intervention but mounting criticism may dampen its enthusiasm
A lavish budget in election year
Government finance is set for a deficit in 2019 even though next year will likely be the last in the current positive economic cycle
A dance with anti-liberalism
There are enough signals that Bulgaria is on the verge of joining the illiberal camp of Hungary and Poland in the EU, yet the government dare not take the final step
Sofia’s successful guerrilla warfare against Brussels
So, what made Bulgaria the European Commission's darling?
Fast Reads
Summer of political scandals, CEZ and Nova Broadcasting Group, Crashed Company Register, Bus crash near Svoge
Why Are Western Investors Leaving Bulgaria?
Big and established international companies are selling their Bulgarian assets to East European or local buyers.