Energising Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s newly elected conservative President Rosen Plevneliev will take the reins at the end of January 2012. Bulgaria being a parliamentary republic with the head of state charged with largely ceremonial and representative functions, you might ask what did the election outcome in October 2011 signal to Europe? The recently held elections showed that the incumbent ruling party Citizen’s for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) solidified its hold over both presidential and municipal levels, despite evident wanning party support. The new president pledges to boost economic growth and employment and improve the business environment. He vows to step up judicial reforms and tackle corruption to better Bulgaria’s image, essentially sounding somewhat like a prime ministerial speech.