Bulgaria caught between east and west

Russian interference and domestic political instability threaten the country’s dream of becoming a regional energy hub

Bulgaria is set to start receiving Azeri gas and US LNG via a long-anticipated link to Greece that is expected to become operational on 1 October. But the poorest EU member state—and one of Russia’s closest former satellites—is also headed into a bitterly contested election and faces an uncertain energy situation over the winter. The challenging position Bulgaria finds itself in is largely due to domestic dysfunction, analysts say, although the crisis is exacerbated by Russia’s decision in April to cut off gas supplies after the country’s former pro-Western coalition government, which collapsed in June, refused to pay in roubles. At the beginning of the year, Bulgaria was importing about 90p