The tone of celebration that was attempted in hailing 2008 as the Year of Russia in Bulgaria and this year as the counterpoint Year of Bulgaria in Russia is ringing rather hollow.

Not only did Russia feel no qualms about leaving Bulgaria in the cold, quite literally, amid its dispute with Ukraine that led to the cutoff of gas supplies in January, but also Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin declined to grace Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov’s energy forum with his presence.

Whatever weak reasons were officially offered by Moscow, it is well known that the real reason for Putin’s absence was Bulgaria’s reluctance - it shall be seen in the long-term whether it is reluctance or refusal - to kowtow to the terms that Moscow wants in the South Stream agreement.

Not only did Putin boycott the Sofia gathering, but when Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev got to Moscow, he was unceremoniously left to cool his heels when president Dmitry Medvedev postponed an appointment with no notice and no reason given publicly. Stanishev was left in a position somehow reminiscent of the days when Bulgarian leaders were mere vassals of Moscow.

Putin received Stanishev "informally" to fill the unexpected gap and they emerged grinning after a short chat, but public smiles mean nothing as seasoned observers well know. It was suggested that in the play to put pressure on Sofia to do what Moscow wants in relation to South Stream, Putin and Medvedev were playing "good cop, bad cop". It seems the game is "bad cop, bad cop" and it is time for Bulgaria’s leaders to deal realistically with Russia’s rules.