site.btaPOLITICO Chief Europe Correspondent: Bulgaria Is At Crossroads, Both Politically and Economically
POLITICO’s chief Europe correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig said here on Tuesday that Bulgaria is at a crossroads, both politically and economically, and the question is which way the country is going to go: to further embrace the West or embrace the Russian sphere. Karnitschnig was speaking at the 15th Sound of Money Forum, organized by Profit.bg. "There are a lot of questions outside Bulgaria about exactly what direction the country is going to take in particular because of views in the population about issues like the euro," he added.
To illustrate his point, the POLITICO correspondent gave Ireland and Hungary as examples, noting that the former has chosen to deepen its ties with Western economies, while the latter took a turn to the East, and Russia and China in particular. Karnitschnig added that Slovakia can be taken as "an example of how quickly things can change in a country," adding that populism and "the influence of the Russian propaganda" have taken hold of the country, which "used to be a star performer in Europe".
Karnitschnig identified open dialogue, timely counteraction to propaganda, and facts as key elements for overcoming the growing political tension in Bulgaria, adding that they are crucial for the informed choice of Bulgarians.
He said that Bulgaria needs to "lose this reputation as a country that is holding elections every couple of months and that is swaying from one end of the spectrum to the other".
Karnitschnig noted that this country has great potential and needs to focus on political stability and adherence to the rule of law to fulfill it.
/RY/
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