2019 has left a strong imprint on Bulgaria’s international relations. The event that stood out the most in Bulgaria-EU relations was the announcement of the European Commission that it was ready to lift the monitoring on Bulgaria in the home affairs and justice fields. At the end of October 2019, twelve years after Bulgaria’s accession to the EU in 2007, this country received recognition that it has fulfilled all requirements for the rule of law and the fight against corruption. The European Council and the European Parliament have not decided on the matter yet, but there are no concerns that their decision would be negative. In October 2019, Bulgaria received a signal that it may enter the ERM II (the Eurozone’s waiting room) in the first half of 2020. If so, this country may adopt the Euro in the beginning of 2023, Fitch Ratings contends. However, 2019 will not end that optimistically in terms of Bulgaria’s aspirations to join the Schengen Area. Although different EU member states continued to voice support Bulgaria’s bid to join Schengen at the end of 2019, the prospects for full access to the area for free movement of people and capital remains unclear.

After Bulgaria’s cabinet paid nearly EUR 1.1 billion for eight brand new F-16 fighter jets Bulgaria placed second in NATO after the USA in terms of GDP spent on defense. Bulgaria paid over 3.1% of its gross domestic product on defense this year, which places this country ahead of Greece, England, Estonia, Romania, Poland and Latvia. Several days ago, it became clear that Bulgaria proposed setting up a NATO coordination center in Varna. So, at the end of 2019 it has become clear that the North-Atlantic Alliance relies a lot on Bulgaria to boost its presence in the Black Sea.

At the end of November Premier Boyko Borissov and US President Donald Trump signed in Washington a framework agreement for strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the USA. President Trump and Premier Borissov discussed the Belene NPP project, the gas corridors crossing Bulgaria, the military modernization and the security in the Black Sea. The American companies Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Oshkosh Defense, Textron and IBM showed interest in joint manufacture of weapons and military equipment together with Bulgarian factories and in tendering for new equipment for the Bulgarian army.

The upward developments in the Bulgaria-EU and Bulgaria-NATO relations were accompanied by episodes of downward developments in this country’s relations with Russia. Bulgaria expulsed a Russian diplomat suspected of espionage for Russia. Earlier in 2018, this country refused to take such measures in connection with the Skripal case although it was subject to external pressure. In response, Russia declared a Bulgarian diplomat of the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow persona non grata. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin accused Bulgaria of deliberately delaying the fulfillment of the Turk Stream gas pipeline on its territory. However, Premier Borissov answered in response that President Putin is welcome to visit and see the speed with which Bulgaria is building and added that Bulgaria, unlike countries like Serbia, Turkey or Russia, has been following mandatory requirements and procedures set by the EU. At a meeting in Sofia Premier Borissov and Russia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria agreed that there were no prerequisites that impede the development of the Bulgaria-Russia relations in a pragmatic and well-intentioned spirit. However, the Bulgaria-Russia relations are apparently far from what they were in the past and are highly influenced by Bulgaria’s relations with its European and Euro-Atlantic partners. Summarizing the situation, Premier Borissov pointed out that the relations with Russia have not worsened, but are clear and pragmatic and in its dialogue with Moscow Sofia will continue to defend its national interests and adhere to the common European and Euro-Atlantic policies.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov