The new president in Brazil: the challenges

Dilma Roussef, the daughter of a Bulgarian immigrant and a former guerrilla fighter, won the presidential elections in Brazil, a function held by a woman for the first time in the history of this country. A protege of the former president Ignacio Lula da Silva, leader of the Worker's Party, Roussef is trained as an economist and held various position in the local and central government. She is the third woman president in Latin America, after Argentina and Costa Rica, and the ten head of state and government worldwide.

The race was closely watched in Bulgaria, the country of origin of her father that she never visited and whose language don't speak. The complicate geopolitical structure and Brazil's unclear strategy by now are raising several questions regarding the future diplomatic moves of one of the biggest geopolitical players in Latin America. The next steps in foreign policy are yet unknown, and the reactions overseas are confusing for the moment, with different interpretations of the vote, up to the immediate home affairs interests.

Among her priorities, she promised to make gender equality an important project. But, foremost, Roussef is faced with a complicate economic pressure, aiming to offer long-term stability for the market. Former energy minister, she contributed in turning Brazil into an energy giant. But, in the same time, the country is facing severe critics from environmental organizations, criticizing Brazil for the big interest show in developing nuclear capacities.

She will sworn in on January 1st, enough time ahead to start expressing clearer positions in issues regarding home and foreign politics. The discussions for forming the Government are likely to start in the next days.

First step for South Stream

FT - No friends, only partners in Realpolitik
Bloomberg - Turkey's offer to Gazprom

Turkey's decision could be a tough answer to the EU following the difficult European negotiations.

Factbox about Nabucco

Hungarian support for Nabucco

In the same time, I will doubt at least 10% the ways in which public opinion understand the technical and economic feasability arguments for a pipeline or another, otherwise than by political and national sympathies.

Where is to find Bulgaria, a traditional ally of Russia?

Peaceful protest turns to riot in Sofia

By Kerin Hope in Athens and agencies

January 14

Financial Times

Bulgarian police on Wednesday clashed with demonstrators outside the parliament building in Sofia amid rising political and social tension over continued energy shortages.

Witnesses said police broke up an anti-government rally organised by students and ecological groups after being pelted with snowballs. ”We are tired of living in the European Union’s poorest and most corrupt country,” said a statement by the rally organisers.

”This government is a symbol of theft and corruption,” said protester Alexander Atanasov, 31. ”They simply have to go,” said Tsetska Vachkova, 31.

When police tried to drive rioters away from parliament, some began to destroy cars and hurled metal bars and cobblestones dug up from the streets at shop and office windows. Police made more than 170 arrests.

The violence came as Sergey Stanishev, the prime minister held talks in Moscow on resuming gas transfers to Bulgaria, one week after the pipeline from Romania was shut down. Gazprom supplies 100 per cent of Bulgaria’s gas imports.

Riots also broke out on Tuesday in fellow ex-communist Latvia after a peaceful anti-government demonstration. Thousands of protesters had gathered in Riga to demand the resignation of the government, accusing it of economic mismanagement.

Switzerland, to decide availability of EU agreements

The extreme right Swiss national party started a campaign against the possibility that Bulgarians and Romanians work freely in the country. February 8 a referendum will be hold in order to decide if the citizens of these two countries could benefit of the same rights with older EU members. Swiss business leaders launched too a campaign in order to safeguard the agreement with the European Union. At the end of the last year, Switzerland joined Schengen area, and Lichtenstein remained as an inner border of the EU, its application to be part of the free travel agreement being still under consideration.