Are we all paying attention?

Assume two things:

1. Politicians don't care about people
2. Politicians do care about lining their own pockets.

Once you understand that, it will explain most of your queries

My wife and I are happy living in Bulgaria. Compared to the US , South Bulgaria is a paradise. We do not  care about politics neither here nor in the US anymore.  Politics sucks everywhere in the world. Let the young people deal with it. The future is theirs. For retirees like us- my advice is: enjoy your life!!!!!

My wife and I are happy living in Bulgaria. Compared to the US , South Bulgaria is a paradise. We do not care about politics neither here nor in the US anymore. Politics sucks everywhere in the world. Let the young people deal with it. The future is theirs. For retirees like us- my advice is: enjoy your life!!!!! - @TonyFF

Unfortunately, that's a rather "Ostrich Approach" at the best of times, and particularly so right now 😥

We're due to join the Eurozone in just over a fortnight but we have no official government and, more importantly, without the now-abandoned Budget we don't meet the required criteria.

One of the major reasons that we're in this mess, ignoring the "Mafia protecting their own interests" element, is that many thousands of people have been crowding the streets demonstrating that they haven't any real clue about what's going on - or who to blame. They read a load of BS on social media or their preferred highly partisan mass-market newspapers (owned by the Mafia, of course), and then decide that they're "Against It" - without any real idea of what "IT" actually is. You'll hear nonsense like "Pensions are being reduced" - but good luck finding that in the Budget proposals that none of the idiots have bothered to read....

@JimJ

Sometimes, you rather seem like a glass 95% empty kinda guy. :-) You're seriously suggesting that they suspend a plan years in the making/planning, just a couple of weeks before its implementation? I guess you might be a very influential voice in your swanky neck of the woods, so they might heed your urgent warning... but I certainly won't be holding my breath. :-)

Personally, I didn't talk about it because I was under the impression that politics (and Covid vaccines) were not considered suitable topics on this forum. Besides, it has has happened so frequently in Bulgaria that the headline "government collapses" no longer has much shock value. I agree that this is NOT something one can say about most countries.

Whether it's truly a "Mafia state" is debatable, I suspect. It has problems in terms of oligarchic influence and corruption in various aspects of its government, justice, and procurement processes. I'm disappointed by the slow rate of change/reform, rather than seeing it as some kind of existential crisis (for the country and/or me). I've not read that the EU now considers Bulgaria to be a failed Mafia state. Nor have I read that Bulgaria is as bad (or worse) than Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Albania, Italy, Turkey (countries about which similar concerns are routinely expressed). Admittedly, this is not a high bar, but one should be grateful for small victories, :-)

As for me, and others like me ("the Man on the Clapham Omnibus, or Plovdiv's #6 bus to the city centre"), Bulgaria's Mafia/corruption related issues happen at a level FAR removed from my day-to-day life. So, yes, my life is "simpler, more natural" and certainly far "cheaper" here. Indeed, if I'm at our village house (in the Balkan Mountains near Shipka) instead of Plovdiv, then, yes, I'd consider that to be pretty much a "bucolic paradise"... and very nice it is too. :-) These benefits of Bulgaria that I've enjoyed so much for the last 8 years are NOT "largely-illusory", but quite real. And I very much doubt that the introduction of the Euro will destroy them.

Does that make me and @TonyFF "ostriches"? I'm not even sure it does. I doubt either of us can vote, so we have no legitimate say in how Bulgaria is governed, or what its policies should be. And if the country is truly a festering hellhole of crime and corruption, it actually strikes me as quite sensible to keep my head down and stay out of trouble. :-) I find it's rather nice being an OAP, just letting the modern world go by, and enjoying my retired life in Bulgaria as little/long as it lasts.

At the same time, I am (like you, probably, and maybe @TonyFF too) a very privileged person, economically-speaking. Not Mafia/Oligarch class of course, but compared to a typical Bulgarian worker, or, especially, a typical Bulgarian pensioner.

I have a full UK state pension which is poverty-level back home, but twice the minimum wage (working wage, not pension) here. I enjoy zero rent/mortgage cost as I benefit from the luxury of owning several homes in Bulgaria (relatively cheap ones, admittedly, but several is still more than most folks). And this is supplemented by a portfolio of financial/property assets accumulated over 40 years working in prosperous high-wage countries. The benefits I perceive (and very much enjoy) are directly related to my privileged position/perspective, and I can totally see that for the ordinary Bulgarian life is currently very, very far from affordable with a New Year (2026) dominated by uncertainty. I guess I would say that I'm quietly hoping that if/when the Bulgarian peasants finally revolt, they will be going for politicians, lawyers and oligarchs... before they start lynching rich white pensioners, South Africa styley. Fingers crossed, eh? :-)

In a stroke of potential good fortune (in case finger crossing is insufficient, and the peasants start massing in Enina), I did also get my Article 50 residence permits in Spain and Cyprus (along with our holiday apartments there). Until now, I've preferred Bulgaria for the lower cost of living, wide open National Parks, and the excellent public health cover (for 25 euros monthly of voluntary NHIF contributions). If rioting, looting, chaos in the streets, uncontrollable Euro-induced inflation, and lynching of foreign retirees arrives... then Alicante and Limassol will probably start to look extremely appealing. In fairness, they're both delightful, and choosing them as an emergency/vacation Plan B, rather than the rather obvious Plan A now seems very contrary/eccentric of me. :-)

Whether it's truly a "Mafia state" is debatable, I suspect. It has problems in terms of oligarchic influence and corruption in various aspects of its government, justice, and procurement processes. I'm disappointed by the slow rate of change/reform, rather than seeing it as some kind of existential crisis (for the country and/or me). I've not read that the EU now considers Bulgaria to be a failed Mafia state. Nor have I read that Bulgaria is as bad (or worse) than Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Albania, Italy, Turkey (countries about which similar concerns are routinely expressed). Admittedly, this is not a high bar, but one should be grateful for small victories, :-)

- @gwynj

....and over the pond, you could add America to the list of mafia or corrupt governments.

Assume two things:

Politicians don't care about people
Politicians do care about lining their own pockets.

Once you understand that, it will explain most of your queries - @Fred

I think we can all agree on that - but the tentacles of the Mafia are considerably more widespread here than in most parts of Europe (or at least they take more pains to hide it elsewhere). But the question isn't so much whether the politicos are trustworthy, it's whether a country where it's so overt, so insouciant, so ubiquitous is the right place to buy a patch of sand to bury your head in...

@gwynj

I couldnt have said it better myself !!

@gwynj

No, I seriously expect the EU to paper over the cracks and pretend that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds - as they invariably do. This particular train has far too much momentum at this stage for anyone in Brussels to risk standing on the tracks waving a pretty red flag.

The question is more "what should happen?" To press on regardless when political machinations are clearly responsible for the present situation suggests to me that, yet again, no one has given any thought to a back-up plan. I'd have hoped that the bureaucrats in Brussels, after getting egg on their faces so many times in the past would have finally learned to at least cover their  own posteriors. The fact that they haven't indicates either stupidity or arrogance, or a combination of the two. Either way, I'm concerned that all our futures are in their hands, not a pleasant thought for Christmas..

As far as this, as I'm always at pains to say, supposedly-swanky suburb goes, I regard myself as more or less living here under false pretences. I was lucky enough to buy in the right place at the right time, and certainly couldn't begin to do so these days: I fall between the increasingly-few "original villagers" and the extremely affluent incomers building their local versions of Fort Knox, complete with armoured gates and security posts. I find it rather amusing to talk about what goes on in the area and how it's changed over the years, but I'm very much a small fish in a comparatively big pond and happy to be so. It only takes a bit of reading the local and foreign press to grasp that this is indeed a Mafia state; if that were not enough, two high profile and very public political assassinations in recent years are proof enough for me ..

@gwynj

If you're a permanent resident then you most certainly CAN vote here, but only in local elections; at least that way no one can blame us for electing the next lot of fantasists/crooks.....😎

We're due to join the Eurozone in just over a fortnight but we have no official government and, more importantly, without the now-abandoned Budget we don't meet the required criteria. - @JimJ

They sound like perfect qualifications for joining the Eurozone.

We're due to join the Eurozone in just over a fortnight but we have no official government and, more importantly, without the now-abandoned Budget we don't meet the required criteria.  - @JimJ
They sound like perfect qualifications for joining the Eurozone. - @Fred

Unfortunately, it's not the first time that's been done - the whole shooting-match came close to collapse last time....

Think yourself lucky you're going into the Euro.  We're stuffed here in Hungary. 

The Forint has lost considerable ground due to the mishandling of the economy by Orban. 

Inflation and prices are much more stable next door in Austria.  Food has gone up and it's now cheaper to buy stuff in Austria than here which is very surprising and a reverse situation to the way it was before.

Yesterday, there was a huge protest in Budapest about "government sanctioned" child abuse.  The perps were protected by Orban's party.  The cops took no action despite having evidence. And they gave the chief perp a medal.  While it wasn't supposedly a protest against the government (supposedly), the numbers out is a proxy for rejection of the government as it is. 

If Orban is out (as polls indicate), my guesstimate is we'd see adoption of the Euro in 12 to 18 months.  Yay.

If Orban is out (as polls indicate), my guesstimate is we'd see adoption of the Euro in 12 to 18 months. Yay. - @fluffy2560

The Euro disaster might well spread to other countries,  but never believe a poll until you know who ran it, if they have a dog in the race, and full details of the poll questions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_p … y_election

Most of the polls can't be trusted because they are taken by political groups.

@JimJ

The EU and Starmer have bankrupted the countries and when they do that they start wars to cover it up. Macron and Starmer have planned it for March and Sweden are stockpiling grain. The west is in a mess with all governments being the problem.  Doubt these governments would get many recruits as they are all despised. Gen Z did well in Bulgaria, but it’s going to probably take a revolution across Europe to change anything - and could that happen?

@jeanmandredeix

Yes, Sweden is setting up grain reserves for good reason.

Sweden to set up emergency grain reserves in country's north so it's prepared for crisis

Sweden will set up its first emergency grain stocks in the north of the country, a region that risks being isolated in a conflict, the government said Tuesday.

In its 2026 budget, Stockholm plans to invest 575 million kronor — $60 million — to set up the grain reserves.

The state plans to ensure there is a regular turnover so the stocks do not perish, the Swedish Board of Agriculture said.

A tender will be launched on Wednesday in the northern counties of Norrbotten, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland and Jamtland. These counties are currently entirely dependent on grain transported from southern Sweden — the oblong country runs some 1,000 miles from north to south — which could be problematic in the event of a crisis or war.

@JimJ

https://www.novinite.com/articles/23590 … he+Wallets

You'll be pleased (frustrated? outraged? apoplectic? totally unsurprised?) to hear that Bulgaria's date with eurozone destiny remains on track. Apparently, the European Commission disagrees with your analysis that Bulgaria "no longer qualifies for entry", and instead has confirmed Bulgaria "has met all criteria, making the transition irreversible."

It seems they saw your post (or others like it), and they "criticized political rhetoric suggesting impending disaster, describing it as unnecessary alarmism."

@JimJhttps://www.novinite.com/articles/23590 … he+WalletsYou'll be pleased (frustrated? outraged? apoplectic? totally unsurprised?) to hear that Bulgaria's date with eurozone destiny remains on track. Apparently, the European Commission disagrees with your analysis that Bulgaria "no longer qualifies for entry", and instead has confirmed Bulgaria "has met all criteria, making the transition irreversible."It seems they saw your post (or others like it), and they "criticized political rhetoric suggesting impending disaster, describing it as unnecessary alarmism." - @gwynj

In our own case, here in HU, putting responsibility on to an external but politically neutral ECB limits the nonsense the local incumbents spout.   If we could have the Euro, it could only be a good thing for right now.

It's like the ECHR, many (in the UK at least) say it's in the way of things like immigration law but it stops extremism and politicians going off the rails.

In other words, there will be better transparency and more accountability.   The last things wannabe dictators want.