Europe’s Graft Trouble Spot Sinks Into Crisis at Worst Time

Bulgaria’s president and prime minister are trading accusations in an escalating dispute over corruption that’s threatening the nation’s push to adopt the euro and join Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone.

Triggered by a crackdown by the newly appointed chief prosecutor, the standoff underscores a decades-long battle for influence in the Black Sea state. At its center are powerful oligarchs and suspected organized crime figures, officials accused of turning a blind eye to their activities and prosecutors who hold more power than anywhere else in the European Union.