ABSTRACT
Bulgaria's geography is an important factor in shaping its view of the Black Sea. Bulgaria's maritime power has been adversely shaped by its Cold War legacy, the lack of defence reform for almost a decade after the communist party leader was replaced in 1989 and declining defence budgets. During the Cold War Bulgaria's defence posture was configured on the basis that the Warsaw Pact would provide unconditional assistance in the event of a military conflict. Bulgaria's role within the alliance was to defend the southern flank of the Warsaw Pact and it had clearly defined enemies and roles. In the first eight years of independence Bulgaria had four parliamentary elections and eight changes of government with the two main parties, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) alternating in power. In 1995 the Bulgarian government, headed by Zhan Videnov of the Socialist Party, finally published Bulgaria's first National Security Concept.
