> Even now, this is the primary form of organisation in Bulgarian society. Knowing the right people, nurturing close relationships with them, calling them for favours in difficult times, expecting to be called by them at any time.

This is more of a general statement than of a "neigbourly assistance". In a sense this applies both to small scale (familes and neighbours), but also it applies to what I call clientelism and a form of corruption. The impact of the latter cannot be overstated as East European countries are drowning in it.

My theory is that this usually happens when you have a large goverment apparatus (be it state or local, or usually both) and that implies a big bureacracy. So if you need a permit to say build a house or even say install PV panels, you may have to wait even a year just for that permit alone. But if you know someone who is a friend/colleague of a guy issuing any permits, you might get it in couple of days. Also, good luck if you need a surgery and don't have money for private clinics. But its all good if you know a doctor, you can get taken care of pretty immediately.

There doesn't have to be any money or goods involved. Just favors for (maybe even potential) favors. I'll give another example. My dad was a director of a local government owned company in charge for traffic/parking etc. I remember one evening his phone rang and he had a nice chat with some person on the other side. I've asked who she was, and was told that she was a director of a hotel and she wanted to arrange 2 reserved spots near it. And my dad was happy to oblige even though no goods were exchanged. I hope you see where I'm going.

I've learned a valuable lesson that day. If you're just a private citizen minding your own business thinking that "the system works", you'll never get in touch with people actually making decisions in these kind of societies. While people nurturing those connections will get what they want and usually you'll be worse for it. So nevermind parking spots or "easy" things like that. What if you need a kidney and you don't really know a doctor? So to put a bit more extremely. How beneficial is for an average Canadian to know a doctor? I would guess not that much. But for a Bulgarian to know a doctor might mean a difference between being alive or dead in some circumstances.

While I observe the neibourly assistance with postivity and nobody is arguing that's bad, especially in the time of need, there should be a clear cut that this doesn't take root in public/government organizations as this is a recipe for a society where the tumor of corruption is bigger than the body itself.

I think its sometimes hard for someone coming from a country with low levels of corruption to put in a perspective how some of those high level corruption societies work in reality.