The ‘Bridge State’ Model Revisited: Bulgaria–Central Asia Cooperation on the Middle Corridor

Abstract

In the context of a reshaped global geopolitical landscape, this study focuses on the cooperation between Bulgaria and Central Asian countries within the framework of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (the ‘Middle Corridor’). Drawing on role theory and Ramon Lopez-Reyes’s ‘Bridge State’ theory, the study argues that this collaboration represents a strategic model through which small and medium-sized states leverage geoeconomic opportunities to enhance their strategic autonomy. With Bulgaria as a central case study, it examines how the country, through infrastructure investment and niche diplomacy, is positioning itself as a crucial gateway connecting the European Union with the Caspian region. The research finds that this cooperation model forms a ‘bridge state cluster’ comprising nations like Bulgaria and Kazakhstan, which empower each other through networked collaboration. The study shows that the bridge state concept requires theoretical updating for the 21st century: Bulgaria’s ‘bridging’ function operates through economic and institutional openness rather than military neutrality, reflecting a shift in the meaning of ‘bridge’ in an era of geoeconomic competition. The analysis concludes that this model offers a potential strategic pathway for other small states seeking to enhance their influence, while acknowledging the model’s dependence on favourable geopolitical conditions and its vulnerability to major power competition. Policy implications include recommendations for deepening EU institutional engagement with the TITR Association and establishing permanent joint working mechanisms between Bulgaria and Central Asian states.

JEL: F50, F15, R40, H54