Unstable Membership: Bulgaria, Corruption, and Policy of the European Union

Abstract

This paper explores both the consequences of corruption within and outside Bulgaria, as well as the domestic and external factors that contribute to it. The domestic conditions of Bulgaria are not solely responsible for the causes of corruption. Private interests of the 2 international community, neighboring countries, and members of the EU collectively shoulder the burden. As examples will prove, the overarching rules and regulations of the EU heavily restrict the ability of Bulgaria to address problems in its own way given that they are not always sympathetic to national particularities. As a result, these rules disrupt the public’s pursuit of national policy interests and debilitate the effectiveness of both the analogous and unrelated institutions that mitigate corruption. The question of how to address these concerns—from a policy standpoint—will be discussed in the concluding segment of this paper.