Bulgaria had its autumn of discontent. The mass protests proclaimed as a crusade against corruption and state capture have failed, while the prospects for reform of the oligarchic model from within are bleak at best. Hence, Bulgarians are looking at a winter of stagnation and political blockage.

The Polish government’s war with both Brussels and a significant part of the Polish population over the rule of law is against Poland’s national interests. On October 26, the European Parliament adopted a resolution criticizing the Polish Constitutional Tribunal’s decision to ban over 95% of legal abortions in Poland.

As The Warsaw Voice writes on Monday, March 26, there were protests of Solidarity trade union members against governmental plans to increase the retirement age. Several hundreds of protesters gathered in Warsaw, in front of the prime minister’s office. Trade unionists announced that protests would be held throughout whole week, on Wednesday they would move demonstrations to the front of the parliament. Meanwhile talks between two parties of the ruling coalition – Civic Platform (PO)…