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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

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Russian economic nationalism has a new face; it purposefully tries to punish those countries with different and often conflicting economic and political interests. One facet of this nationalism, that has already been investigated, is the supply of raw materials; another that rises before our eyes is withdrawing partially or totally private investments from specific countries. What was rather impossible during the 1990s becomes possible under the more tightly controlled society under the president Putin. It becomes a public issue whether and where Russian businesspersons invest their private money, where they start business, and where they buy residences.

During the time of 'robber barons' of the post-communist Russian capitalism, i.e. in the 1990s, moving unaccountable large quantities of money abroad for business or pleasure has become one of the new ruling class' preferable pastime activities. Thus annually, no less than several billions of US dollars settled down in rich countries, tax heavens, exotic islands, in all sorts of legal and not so legal ventures. When Moscow desperately needed some money to pay its dues, to keep its crumbling infrastructures, and to address some minimal social responsibilities, in this very time buying luxurious villas on the Mediterranean has become widespread phenomenon for the 'new Russians'. From one extreme society has moved to another; complete social irresponsibility for those with large pockets. Facing still a predatory government and passive society in search of its new collective identity, they put the money where they thought it would be safe, abroad.

The geography of this economic adventure is very large. For some time the 'new Russians' have become major new group of buyers in markets as distinct as London, Paris, Biarritz, Cyprus, Malta, Gibraltar, and Israel; not to mention almost all former Soviet republics, especially those with significant Russian population, regardless of their economic model and foreign political orientation. Of course it would be premature to claim that all these billions per year went to buying real estate. A significant portion went to business ventures, to buying existing companies or to incorporating new ones. The point here is that the Russian society couldn't stop this financial hemorrhage, and the Russian government seemingly had no means to make it disappear.

The renaissance of the Russian nationalism under president Putin is changing all this. Russian government, thanks to the high oil prices, has more disposable money than at any time in the written history. In mobilizing the Russians along nationalistic lines, it forces businesspersons to reconsider their foreign investments. Some are already starting to pack and leave their comfortable residences and move their money back to Russia, a sign of their national belonging and capitulation before the 'public opinion'. Millions are spend back home on social and other high profile media activities to buy favorable public opinion for those that have made the mind to remain in Russia, because for some the final stop will be in London, Paris or New York City.

Once being capable of forcing the businesspersons to move their money back and forth, the Russian government, now in full control over the media and to large extent over the public opinion, is testing its power by punishing specific countries. The punishment comes in a form of real estate investments' withdrawals. Massive and sudden withdrawal may cause headache to any economy, unless it's already in deep economic recession and needs not so much capitals. What we can see now are the first coordinated attempts to punish entire states. Right now these are rather small states, highly dependent upon foreign investments, like Estonia for example. If this test is considered successful in Moscow, we may witness new bolder moves vis-à-vis larger and more independent nations. If this test is considered successful outside Moscow, it may shift some countries' foreign policy and make it closer to Russia's interests even without particular punishment.

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