Bulgariens europäische Volljährigkeit – Notizen eines Wegbegleiters
Bulgaria Has Come to Full Legal Age – Notes of a Companion

Summary/Abstract: The text illustrates the speech of the author during a ceremony when he was awarded the doctor honoris causa by the University of National and World Economics in Sofia on 16 November 2007. Since the breakdown of the Communist system people in Bulgaria have been subject to a tremendous acceleration of social change and transformation of all rules and circumstances of life. For the individual, the emerging integration perspective of the EU did not put an end to the insecurity and loss of orientation caused by the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact. Following the “European path”, competition and privatization in Bulgaria were often connected with the creation of wealth without effort, the provocative demonstration of luxury, the emergence of criminal economic structures and corrupt administrations. Society has therefore been deeply polarized while any notion of solidarity was lost. In Bulgaria, like in other New Member States, populism has received a tremendous upsurge and growing support from the voters after EU accession in 2007. Populist movements are permissive to nationalist tendencies and hostile to minorities. Yet, Bulgaria has the potential to overcome the existing weaknesses and the country will eventually play a constructive role within the EU and gain its recognition as a stable and reliable partner. As an example, Bulgaria can play a highly positive role in the European Neighborhood Policy with the Black Sea region.

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