Russian factor in the foreign policy of Bulgaria after its EU membership

In this thesis, it is aimed to analyze Russia's impact on Bulgaria's foreign policy in post-EU membership period. The collapse of the BCP regime after the resignation of Todor Jivkov on 10th November 1989 has led to a remarkable transformation process in Bulgaria. This period has been shaped by the endeavour of Bulgaria to partake in the hegemonic order. The effort to integrate herself with the pole defined as the "other" during the Cold War, required Bulgaria to reconstruct her identity and interests. Within this context, the country in question has brought NATO membership at the forefront of its foreign policy agenda to ensure its military security and EU membership for its economic security. Social forces (capital-owning class) arising as a result of the globalization of capitalist mode of production started to have a louder voice in the foreign policy making of the country. The vacuum in the state capacity emerging with the collapse of the authoritarian regime prevented neoliberal market reforms from achieving the desired level of democratization. Despite being far from fullfilling membership requirements and conditions, Bulgaria has been accepted to the EU due to its geostrategic importance in the Black Sea region. For the first time throughout the history of EU enlargement, the principle of conditionality was applied in order to cover not only pre-accession but also post-accession period (extended conditionality). This situation limits EU's normative power over Bulgaria. The main argument being put forward in this thesis is that Russia is still a very important actor in Bulgarian foreign policy even after EU membership. This importance originates from the position Russia occupies in the collective memory of Bulgaria, as well as her investments in the key sectors of the country in question and the energy resources it uses as a coercive diplomacy tool. The fact that Russia also acts as an important leverage in Bulgaria's relations with EU, increases the importance of the country in Bulgarian foreign policy. Key Words: EU, Bulgaria, Foreign Policy, Russia