These justifications seem to be logically weak: the problem, however, is that they capture the imagination of large masses of people in Europe.
The response by Bulgaria's authorities to the mid-summer killing of Israeli tourists reflects the country's lack of experience of international terrorism, as well as specific internal democratic deficits. In such a context there is now a danger of overreaction, says Daniel Smilov.
A local incident turned national conflict mixing anti-Roma sentiment and nationalist mobilisation reveals flaws in Bulgaria’s political order that demand a coherent response, says Daniel Smilov.
