Bulgaria blames Russian media for misconstruing ambassador’s remarks
Bulgaria’s embassy in Moscow said on September 3 that remarks by ambassador Boiko Kotsev reported by Russian media, which appeared to criticise the EU sanctions imposed on Russia over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, were misconstrued.
During a visit to the city of Samara, where he attended a film festival commemorating the 70th anniversary since the end of World War 2, Kotsev was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying that the sanctions were “a pathology of international relations” and that all possible efforts should be made to “get positive results and lift the sanctions”.
In Bulgarian media, Kotsev’s words were interpreted as criticism of the EU sanctions and Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said that he has sought “explanations” about the remarks.
Later in the day, the embassy said that Kotsev expressed Bulgaria’s unwavering support of the sanctions, whose goal is to find a lasting and peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis. “Indeed, the sanctions are undesirable, an extreme but the only possible alternative to a much worse scenario of events,” the embassy said.
“The remark by ambassador Kotsev regarding the sanctions against Russia were misinterpreted and taken out of context. Unfortunately, this is not a singular case of Russian media misconstruing diplomatic messages,” the embassy said.
(Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: mfa.bg)
