At the end of every year we usually remember the most important events that occurred during it. Just like these days when 2016 is at its end and we are waiting for 2017 to come.

Making charts of this kind is risky, but we probably would not be wrong to say that the main political event of 2016 were the presidential elections. They brought not only a change of the head of state, but a change of government, because ruling GERB bet everything on their candidate Tsetska Tsacheva and after she lost against rival Rumen Radev, supported by BSP, the Borissov Cabinet filed its resignation. The elections were of big significance also because they showed disappointment with the usual political entities in the country and highlighted new ones. At least two new political formations with ambitions for power emerged. These are the “Volya” party of businessman Veselin Mareshki and the “Yes, Bulgaria” project of former justice minister from the “Borissov 2”cabinet, Hristo Ivanov.

A memorable public political event with negative connotation was the failure of the Bulgarian candidacy for new UN Secretary General. The government first nominated Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, then surprisingly chose the alternative candidature of European Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva. The failure of the unprecedented chance for a Bulgarian to become head of the UN is not only one of the bitter memories of the outgoing year, but will be remembered because of the inability of the local politicians to put aside their differences for the sake of a national cause.

Problems related to migration pressure were common throughout 2016 and will be remembered for a long time.Nearly19,000 people have illegally entered the country and filled accommodation centers to the brim. In some of the centers riots erupted and made world headlines. The influx of migrants from Turkey declined, but the pressure of migrants who had entered Bulgaria, but do not want to stay in it and try to rich Western countries has increased. At the end of the year, this problem seems somewhat contained, but it is not clear what new developments may occur. Before the start of the new 2017many are asking what would happen if fears of a mass return of migrants from Western Europe to Bulgaria become a reality.

In relatively favorable external environment, the Bulgarian economy reported good results for 2016, such as a 3-percent economic growth, budget surplus, a record number of foreign tourists - more than 10 million. These positive facts however had little positive feedback from society because of the low starting point of the progress. The truth is that at the end of 2016 and in early 2017, the average Bulgarian is a citizen of the poorest EU country and changes in some individual indicators do not change the fact. Understanding this bitter truth has its positive side because it leads to awareness of the need for structural reforms that unfortunately were not conducted during the outgoing year.

Another result that evokes mixed feelings has been achieved during 2016. After a decision of the international arbitration Bulgaria paid to Russia compensations for produced nuclear facilities for the cancelled project for a second Bulgarian nuclear power plant in Belene. The payment cleared unsettled financial relations with one of the largest economic partners of Bulgaria, such as Russia. Bulgaria, however, now has equipment for a frozen nuclear project and does not know what to do with it. The mixed feelings that this situation evokes will develop in a positive or negative direction depending on policy decisions in the new 2017. What would these decisions be and who would make them will become clear in the first half of the new year, when early parliamentary elections will be held in this country.

English: Alexander Markov