One of my Bulgarian friends posted this great youtube piece to facebook recently.  I watched it and then watched it again.  It's a tribute to Bulgaria's membership in the EU.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YRATI__jKU]

I wondered what the little boy at the end was saying and a friend wrote it out for me. The text in Bulgarian says: "bratya vsichki lyude stavat, / shtom s krila poveesh ti" or in English: "Beggars become Princes' brothers / Where thy gentle wing abides".

Then I had to read a huge number of the 500 plus comments.  What stood out to me were the two sets of responses.  Many were kind and welcoming.  People writing things like Welcome to the EU Bulgaria! While other responses were hateful and said derogatory things about the gypsies, the Turks and even gay people.  The commenters often used fragmentary pieces of history to support their arguments.  After reading a number of the pieces it was hard for me to enjoy the youtube piece even thought it's set to Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

It really got me thinking. <!--more-->

Bulgaria joined the EU on January 1st, 2007.  It's be a rocky go for the first two years.  Corruption has halted some EU funds earmarked for projects in Bulgaria and prices for everyday goods continues to increase while the salaries remain the lowest in the EU. I don't think that the country is any worse off for joining the EU but I don't think that the average person they are any better off.  And that's tough.

My students complain about the quality of the transportation, the high levels of pollution, and wide spread corruption.  All of this seems completely normal to them.  Their parents bemoan the same things.  And frankly, I can't blame them.  Things do look a lot better in the other EU countries I've been to this year (and for the most part they all have new, more modern public transportation).

The last two years prove that EU membership is far from a golden ticket.  I read somewhere recently that EU membership is a compact, a deal, an exchange and I think that this is a new kind of accountability for the country.  My sense is that for too many years this country functioned on an old boy's network of sorts.  Wink-wink nudge-nudge.  Everybody knows what's going on but it's to no ones benefit to do anything about it given the way that networks and personal associations function in this country.

Corruption and accountability don't go hand in  hand.  So it was only a matter of time before the EU stepped in and said: Hey you're mismanaging our money.  The projects you are supposed to be completing are behind schedule or not even started yet.  Worse yet, you can't account for all of the money we've given you.  It was a long time coming but still everyone acted shocked when it happened.

I can't help but wonder if they are shocked that the EU stopped the flow of money or if they were shocked to be caught.  Sure it hurts the country not have the EU money but does it hurt them enough to take a firm stance on corruption?

So it seems to me that now Bulgaria stands at a crossroad.  They made it over the first hurdle--EU membership but there are still tough decissions to made, decissions that will likely be unpopular.  This said, I am still hopeful.  It's not going to be easy that much is clear but I think that everyday people make it clear that they want more from their country and their government than they are currently getting.