(#6339) The Bulgarian problem

      As a more friendly to Russia Bulgarian administration takes over the country the halting of further assistance to Ukraine has been announced. Bulgaria is a NATO and European Union country but has a poor economy that has not been meeting the demands of its citizenry. So the supplying of Ukraine with aid is seen as counterproductive to citizens at home. Even though stopping putin from aggressively attacking its neighbors is actually taking place. I get that the reality of economic despair is real and funds are limited but the defense of their sovereignty should always prioritize as the most needed. The apparent lack of good management of their economic society is not the fault of Ukraine.
     The fault lies with Russia and its propaganda of destabilization and less than critical forward thinking leaders in Bulgaria. The widespread corruption in Bulgaria prohibits foreign investment to modernize and create opportunity there. They have a shadow economy within the black market that lessens income for taxing and improving their society. They are not forward on clean energy and still use coal and petroleum as their main source of energy. With a declining population their impetus to modernize is waned with unsettled views fed by old Russian ties and current Russian propaganda. Without an ideally functioning justice system the idea that democratic values are a good thing is being questioned.
     Overall Bulgaria is struggling to come into the 21st century. It seems the corruption within the bureaucracy of government is still too invasive to root out by themselves. Bulgaria is at a crossroads now being part of NATO and the EU but shrinking from those responsibilities. NATO and the EU need to step up programs aimed at supporting Bulgaria to wrest control of government back to the people of Bulgaria. To give them a sense of national pride and a better hope to give to their children. Bulgaria is not a lost country, instead they are one in need of friends to help them along to a just society. Democracies all over the world need to look to Sofia and see what they can do to help the current government reclaim possibilities that don't drive them back into the arms of putin!