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Updated October 6, 2021
Bulgaria: An Overview
Bulgaria is a Southeastern European country located along
voter preferences. GERB leads in most recent polls, while
the Black Sea. After decades of single-party communist
support for ITN appears to have declined. A new grouping
rule and a turbulent transition period during the 1990s,
formed in September 2021, We Continue the Change (PP),
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union
is polling second in some surveys. PP is led by two
(EU) in 2007. The United States cooperates with Bulgaria
ministers from the first Yanev caretaker government, which
on a range of security issues but also has raised concerns
gained popularity for its investigations of graft allegations.
over corruption and the rule of law.
Among other impacts, the prolonged political stalemate has
Bulgaria has been in a political stalemate for most of 2021.
impeded policymaking and delayed Bulgaria’s finalization
Parliamentary elections in April 2021 and repeat elections
of a draft plan for its share of the EU’s €750 billion post-
in July 2021 did not result in the formation of a
pandemic recovery and resilience fund.
government. A third parliamentary election is scheduled for
November 14, 2021, along with presidential elections.
Figure 1. 2021 Parliamentary Elections
Domestic Overview
Bulgaria has a parliamentary system of democratic
governance. The unicameral National Assembly (Narodno
sabranie) has 240 seats. Acting Prime Minister Stefan
Yanev has presided over two caretaker governments since
May 2021. President Rumen Radev is seeking reelection to
a second term in the November 2021 presidential election.
For most of the period from 2009 to early 2021, Bulgaria
was led by Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his center-
right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria
(GERB). During this time, corruption remained a
significant challenge despite Bulgaria’s EU accession in
Source: Graphic created by CRS using Central Electoral
2007. A wave of anti-corruption protests in 2020 weakened
Commission data.
the Borisov government and helped erode support for other
Corruption and Rule-of-Law Concerns
former governing parties, including the Bulgarian Socialist
Party (BSP), GERB’s traditional rival.
Corruption, organized crime, and rule-of-law challenges
intensified during Bulgaria’s turbulent transition in the
Support for GERB and BSP weakened in the April 2021
1990s. Due to oncern that these issues had not been
parliamentary elections and the repeat elections in July
resolved when Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, Brussels
2021. Several new political groupings, buoyed by the 2020
continues to monitor the country’s reforms through a
protests, won a combined one-third of votes in the April
transitional Cooperation and Verification Mechanism
elections and over 40% in the July elections (see Figure 1).
(CVM). Although the CVM has guided some reforms,
Their campaigns largely centered on corruption issues.
many analysts question the EU’s overall effectiveness in
Some of the parties pledged not to participate in any
promoting the rule of law in Bulgaria. Some also assert that
government with GERB, BSP, or the Movement for Rights
EU development funds have indirectly enabled corruption.
and Freedom (DPS), a former governing party that is
predominantly supported by ethnic Turkish voters.
Although observers note some improvements in Bulgaria’s
anti-corruption framework, the core challenges have
Thus far, the most successful of the new parties has been
persisted across successive governments. For several years,
the populist There Is Such a People (ITN) party, which
Bulgaria has ranked last among EU member states in
placed second in the April 2021 elections and narrowly won
Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions
the repeat elections in July. Democratic Bulgaria (DB) and
Index. The U.S. State Department’s 2021 Investment
Stand Up, Mafia Out (ISMV), two blocs comprising parties
Climate Statement for Bulgaria describes “high-level
involved in the 2020 protests, also gained support across the
corruption, particularly in public procurement and use of
two election cycles. ITN’s unconventional political actions
EU funds” as a “serious concern.” To date, no senior
following its July 2021 victory contributed to a seeming rift
officials have been convicted of corruption. Alleged
with DB and ISMV, however.
political interference in the judiciary and a weak media
environment may complicate efforts to combat corruption.
Bulgaria is scheduled to hold presidential and repeat
parliamentary elections on November 14, 2021. Polls
On June 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury
conducted in fall 2021 indicate continuing fragmentation in
sanctioned three Bulgarian individuals for involvement in
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bulgaria: An Overview
corruption, as well as 64 entities in their networks, under
Bulgaria’s relations with Russia occasionally have been
Executive Order 13818, which implements the Global
strained over energy issues and Bulgaria’s approval of EU
Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (Title XII,
sanctions against Russia. Since 2019, Bulgaria has expelled
Subtitle F of P.L. 114-328). The State Department
several Russian diplomats on espionage charges. In March
concurrently designated five current and former officials
2021, prosecutors charged six Bulgarians, including current
(two of whom were among those designated by Treasury)
and former defense and intelligence officials, on suspicion
for involvement in significant corruption under Section
of passing classified information to Russia.
7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations,
U.S.-Bulgaria Relations
and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-
260). Some of the sanctioned persons are oligarchs
During the 1990s and 2000s, the United States provided
regarded as powerbrokers in Bulgarian politics.
foreign aid and diplomatic support for Bulgaria’s domestic
transition and integration into NATO and the EU. The
Figure 2. Bulgaria: Basic Facts
United States and Bulgaria continue to have good relations
and cooperate on various issues. Members of Congress may
be interested in Black Sea and energy security issues
relating to Bulgaria, as well as anti-corruption efforts.
Security Cooperation
Bulgaria’s location and NATO membership give it strategic
importance for U.S. security concerns about Russia, the
Black Sea, and the Balkans. In 2006, the United States and
Bulgaria signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement that
allows for joint use of several Bulgarian military facilities.
Source: Map and graphic created by CRS.
In October 2020, the two countries agreed to a 10-year road
Economy
map for continued military cooperation. The United States
also supports Bulgaria’s plans to replace its Soviet-era
The World Bank classifies Bulgaria as an upper-middle-
military equipment. In 2019, Bulgaria purchased eight F-16
income country. Bulgaria experienced robust GDP growth
fighter jets from the United States for $1.3 billion—its
in the 2000s, following economic reforms and EU
largest military expenditure in decades. Bulgaria’s
integration. The economy struggled after the 2008 global
estimated 2021 defense expenditure is at 1.56% of GDP,
financial crisis, but recent annual GDP growth has been
somewhat short of NATO’s 2% target.
around 3%-4%. As elsewhere, the COVID-19 pandemic has
adversely affected the Bulgarian economy.
The United States and Bulgaria cooperate on capacity-
building programs to confront other security threats.
Although economic conditions have improved significantly
Bulgaria is located along the EU’s external border and in a
since the 1990s, Bulgaria has among the EU’s lowest GDP
major transit region for illicit trafficking in persons, arms,
per capita levels. A third of its population is at risk of
narcotics, and contraband.
poverty or social exclusion. Bulgaria also has one of the
world’s fastest-declining populations due to emigration and
Foreign Assistance
a low fertility rate. After peaking at nearly 9 million in the
Following Bulgaria’s 2007 EU accession, most U.S.
1980s, the population decreased to about 7 million by 2019.
assistance has targeted security issues, including military
Foreign Relations
modernization, Black Sea maritime domain awareness, and
improved NATO interoperability, among other priorities.
Closely aligned with the Soviet Union during the Cold War,
The United States has provided over $160 million in
Bulgaria adopted a Euro-Atlantic foreign policy orientation
security assistance to Bulgaria since 2016.
in the 1990s. It has contributed troops to NATO, EU, and
coalition missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Energy Security
Iraq, and elsewhere and is one of three NATO allies located
The United States supports Bulgaria’s ambitions to
in the strategic Black Sea region.
diversify its energy supplies . Bulgaria currently relies on
Russian energy imports—a dependency that partly stems
At the same time, many Bulgarian leaders have sought to
from infrastructure limitations. Bulgaria has pursued
maintain good relations—and avoid friction—with Russia,
projects aimed at diversifying supplies, including a gas
Bulgaria’s neighbor across the Black Sea. Many Bulgarians
interconnector with Greece that would enable imports from
hold favorable views of Russia, due in part to cultural and
Azerbaijan and a stake in a planned liquefied natural gas
historical ties. The two countries have significant trade and
terminal in Greece. Bulgaria is part of the Three Seas
investment links, particularly in the energy sector. Some
Initiative, a U.S.-backed platform among EU member states
analysts caution that endemic corruption, bilateral energy
in Central Europe aimed at expanding regional
links, and alleged Russian ties to some political parties and
connectivity, including energy infrastructure.
organizations may invite greater overall Russian influence
in Bulgarian affairs. According to Treasury, a Bulgarian
At the same time, U.S. officials have cautioned that some
oligarch whom it designated for corruption in June 2021
energy projects, particularly the extension of Russian state-
sought to “create a channel for Russian political leaders to
owned firm Gazprom’s TurkStream gas pipeline across
influence Bulgarian government officials.”
Bulgaria, could increase reliance on Russia.
Sarah E. Garding, Analyst in European Affairs
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bulgaria: An Overview
IF11725
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11725 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED