This book unearths the reasons why Bulgaria failed to become a member of the EU in 2004. The reasons are many; however, they can be broken down into few categories: • Political: Continuous presence of the "new" communists after 1989 and lack of democratic experience. • Economic: Inconsistent economic policies in privatizing quickly and efficiently. • Corruption: Dishonest nature of the Bulgarian politicians remains one of the leading reasons why the country could not make it. • International: FDI failure, Balkan Peninsula's historically dark image and United Nation policies had its fair share for Bulgaria's delay in meeting the EU criteria. Reforms were about speed and Bulgaria had too many bumps on the road, which prevented her from accelerating and getting to finish line on time.