Protesters Unite Against Corruption in Bosnia, Bulgaria, and Beyond

by Lili Nikolova and Dr. Alexander Mirescu 

Dozens were arrested and injured during civil demonstrations against high electricity bills in Sophia, Bulgaria, February 2013. (Wikipedia)

Since 1989, popular demands and large-scale protests in Eastern Europe helped to successfully topple communist regimes, usually with support from long-standing anti-communist civil society stakeholders. Every Eastern European country has since made significant advances in creating and strengthening its democratic institutions. Many, such as Poland, Lithuania, and (most recently) Croatia, became members of the European Union and NATO. Those still struggling—Albania, Serbia, FYROM, and Moldova, for example—still see membership in the EU as the pinnacle of their democratic projects.

Germany mulls Schengen veto on Bulgaria and Romania

Germany says it will not allow Bulgaria or Romania to join the EU's passport-free Schengen zone if the issue is put to a vote in the EU on Thursday.

"If Romania and Bulgaria insist on a vote, the attempt will fail because of a German veto," German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said.

Failed assassination attempt on Ahmed Dogan (National Palace of Culture in Sofia)

Bulgarian opposition leader escapes assassination attempt
Failed assassination on Ahmed Dogan (National Palace of Culture in Sofia) Live TV 
The leader of Bulgaria's opposition Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Ahmet Dogan, escaped an apparent assassination attempt Saturday while addressing a party congress in Sofia, local media reported.