Bulgaria’s New Coalition and the Future of South Stream

... in this part of Europe. Weak institutions in places like Bulgaria or Serbia are easy victims for this kind of graft. To ensure this does not happen, the new coalition agreement has specified clear conditions under which the pipeline could be built. Gazprom The agreement foresees the liberalisation of the electricity and energy market, allowing consumers to choose their supplier; an improvement in Bulgaria’s energy security through the completion of interconnectors with its neighbours; the development of local energy resources; and the construction of South Stream “only in full compliance with EU legislation, in dialogue with the European Commission and if clear economic benefits for the country are proven”. Borisov’s track record during his first mandate as prime minister from 2009 ...