Nationalism versus European Integration : The Case of ATAKA

Since the Maastricht Treaty (1992) much research has been engaged in the study of Euroscepticism, mainly in its typology and varieties. This article sheds light on one of the most significant, decisive and formative determinants of euroscepticism: nationalism. It explores the brand of ethnic nationalism that ATAKA, a far-right political party of Bulgaria, espoused in the aftermath of Bulgaria’s accession to the EU (2007-2009). It argues that such nationalism is incompatible with the economic and political internationalization that the project of European integration and unification generates. Indeed, even though ATAKA did not openly demand the withdrawal of Bulgaria from the European Union, it advocated a totally different, strongly intergovernmentalist, scheme that a priori excludes any ceding of national sovereignty to a supranational body