Bulgaria has been developing extensive public accountability mechanisms, and is a global leader of anticorruption legislation, but those had little influence on the real rules of the game. The country underperforms on judicial autonomy from private interest, with an impunity culture for the ruling class still reigning. Connections and bribes continue to be a main alternative to rights and meritocracy for accessing public services or gaining success in the market. Far too few officials are administratively sanctioned on grounds of corruption.
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See Bulgaria on Index of Public Integrity
Selected trends from the Public Integrity Index
Trends in Judicial Independence, Administrative Burden, Freedom of the Press over the past 13 years
Bulgaria is the worst ranked country in the EU for corruptions and has one of the most corrupt mafia lead governments in the EU. Borrisov and his mafia criminals make it impossible for Europeans to settle in Bulgaria and enjoy investing in Bulgaria without interference and demands for bribes. Borrisov’s henchmen deliberately close down businesses through corrupted compliance demands to create easily controllable monopolies in all of Bulgaria’s major business sectors. If your growth catches the attention of the customs, they will make near impossible demands. This can be straight up bribes such as cash, jewellery, pearls, furniture, and if you do not comply, they will find ‘something wrong’ and you will be closed down. If you are an official who want to do things honestly correctly, you will be fired. I have experienced worsening conditions fuelled by the strength of populism, over the last 12 years I have visited Bulgaria. The EU must step in or risk BG’s descent into chaos.