Bulgaria: Gazprom’s Weaponization Test Case

Earlier this month, Russia’s state gas giant Gazprom said it would need to halt the flow of gas via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for additional maintenance. The fear this announcement struck in European capitals, even as gas storage fills up ahead of schedule, speaks volumes about Europe’s predicament: there is no quick fix to dependence on Russian gas. As Germany braces up for the suspension of gas flows tomorrow, in Bulgaria—the EU’s poorest member—a few hundred people have been protesting every day against the return…