Russia’s Grip on Bulgaria Will Test Ambition to Tackle Graft

Bulgaria’s political and economic ties to Russia pose the biggest risk to Prime Minister-elect Rumen Radev’s plan to fight corruption.

The 62-year-old former president is poised to end years of political gridlock after a landslide victory in Sunday’s election and he’s made cleaning up the courts and curbing the influence of a small but powerful elite his top priority. But he’s also calling for the European Union to revive its economic relationship with Russia, and that’s where his goals may come into conflict.