Historical troubles

North Macedonia and Bulgaria exchange fire over the commemoration of revolutionary Gotse Delchev in a spat that could signal deeper trouble

Macedonia's new name could teach Bulgaria a thing or two

Sofia is unhappy that its role in the untying of the Macedonian-Greek Gordian knot has been ignored

Bulgaria embarks on a massive rearmament program without clear priorities

The process of selecting a new jetfighter for the Air Force has demonstrated the Ministry of Defense’s inability to manage complex projects

THESE STRANGE BULGARIANS – INDIVIDUALISTS AND TRADITIONALISTS

At their core, Bulgarians are secularists and believe in democracy

When will Bulgaria catch up with the West?

Eastern European EU members are slowly but steadily converging with the richer European states

When not failing is a great success

Bulgaria did not finish its presidency of the Council of EU with a new shiny image as many had hoped but it proved it can run the bloc’s day-to-day affairs

CEZ case confirms the doubts about Bulgaria's institutions

Friedrich Naumann Foundation director for SEE Daniel Kaddik

Russia’s Economic Grip on the Western Balkans

The Kremlin uses its influence in the region to try to divert it from Euro-Atlantic integration

You give the EU Presidency a bad name

International media focus on Bulgaria during the country’s presidency of the Council of the EU coincides with some ugly scandals that resonate across Europe and tarnish the image of the country which was already far from pristine

Euro-optimism and Euro-fears

Despite Bulgaria’s overriding enthusiasm for the EU membership, public opinion hostile to the EU has begun to take hold

Russia’s Influence – What’s It All About?

Moskow plays an oportunistic role on the Balkans, it is not agenda-setter

Three risks to a smooth presidency

Bulgaria’s presidency of the Council of the EU is likely to run well but corruption, ultra-nationalists and language used by PM Boyko Borissov could spoil it all.

What Bulgaria wants from its presidency of the Council of the EU

Sofia hopes to make a breakthrough on the country’s membership in the Schengen area and Eurozone. It also hopes to change its image as an underachiever.

Fast Reads

Western Balkans on Bulgaria’s mind

Bulgaria’s diplomatic offensive in its neighboring countries is driven by its upcoming EU presidency. It is yet to be seen whether there is anything more beyond the photo ops.

The Diplomatic Government

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov’s third term will be marked by a foreign policy push he will use to dampen criticism against his domestic agenda

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