Individuals know, as a rule, how to tackle the future. The country, as a rule, does not. Defying worrying overhaul of the constitution, thorny EU road and economic doldrums, the Bulgarian is a survivor. Yet an unhappy one.
Take this week's European Quality of Life Survey. It shows Bulgarians to be European leaders in home ownership (nearly 85% own their own home without a mortgage), yet one of the least satisfied people on the continent. Reminds me of a poster that hangs on the wall against my desk. The "Perfect European Should be" - humorous as a German, sober as an Irish, controlled as an Italian, humble as a Spaniard... Aware of all the prejudices, revelations and sarcasm that the poster depicts, a recent brainstorm with my colleagues generated a "genius" new entry - "Satisfied as a Bulgarian".
How come Bulgarians' arduous search for satisfaction ended up in a dozen square meters of private floorage? Is it the lack of community and identification that makes us so sad? We turn our eyes to Brussels only to see that after this week's proposal for enforcement of the judicial safeguard clause, we will have restricted freedom at the new home of our big European family. "Make yourself at home, but stay away from the garden, " was Brussels's message. There is nothing shameful about not being satisfied. But we will have to look further than properties and international allegiances for getting there.
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