Russia expels another Bulgarian diplomat
Russia is expelling another Bulgarian diplomat, in the latest of a succession of expulsions in retaliation for Bulgaria declaring Russian diplomats persona non grata after investigations established that they were involved in espionage.
A brief statement on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Bulgaria’s ambassador in Moscow had been called to the ministry on May 13 to be presented with a note declaring a Bulgarian embassy employee persona non grata.
The statement said that the measure was in response to Bulgaria’s “unmotivated decision” in April 2022 to a declare a diplomat at the Russian embassy in Sofia persona non grata.
As The Sofia Globe reported at the time, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on April 18 that 10 Bulgarian diplomats were being expelled from Russia in response to Bulgaria earlier expelling 10 Russian diplomats.
On April 8, Russia said that it was expelling two Bulgarian diplomats in response to Bulgaria’s expulsion of two Russian diplomats in March. Bulgaria expelled the two, saying that prosecutors had established that they had been spying.
On April 2, Bulgaria expelled the First Secretary of the Russian embassy in Sofia, also saying that he had been committing espionage.
Bulgaria expelled a number of Russian embassy staff in 2019, 2020 and 2021, all in connection with spying.
(Photo of the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow: shakko_01)
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