A report obtained by the Financial Times says that Bulgaria is at risk of falling under Russian political and economic influence unless Brussels works more effectively with Sofia. The report was written by the six-member advisory board of the Stanishev government, chaired by Dominique de Villepin, a former French prime minister.
The report is quite blatant:
“If Bulgaria fails in the fulfillment of this objective, different consequences could arise. First, the Bulgarian state could become more vulnerable, encouraging populist movements and planting the seeds of discouragement among Bulgarian civil society.
“Second, the efforts undertaken to build up a stronger, more modern and efficient state apparatus could weaken, and so would the trust of the people in the state. Finally, it could undo the ties between the EU and Bulgaria, prompting a shift of Bulgaria towards Russian political and economic interests.”
