This paper examines the levels of social dialogues and the specific links among them that have emerged during the post-communist transformations of central and eastern Europe. Using evidence from Bulgaria, the author adds to the debate over the type of worldwide change in bargaining structures, with the argument that currently the post-communist region is experiencing neither decentralization nor centralization of bargaining structures. Instead, surviving state socialist structures designed to resolve conflicts on a hierarchical basis and the new, transformation-driven centralization of power have combined with decentralizing and democratizing efforts to create specific multi-level bargaining cartels. In such cartels, the scope of bargaining is both more extensive and intensive. It involves the interplay of participants and issues from different levels that contributes importantly for the advancement of economic restructuring and political democratization
