Russia expels 14 Bulgarian diplomats
Bulgarian ambassador in Moscow Atanas Krastin was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on August 5 to be informed that Russia is expelling 14 employees of Bulgarian diplomatic and consular offices, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the step was in response to the expulsion from Bulgaria of 70 Russian embassy personnel, Bulgaria’s introduction of quotas for the number of diplomatic and Russian administrative and technical personnel in Bulgaria, and also to temporarily close Russia’s consulate general in Rousse.
“We would like to emphasise that the responsibility for the consequences of these counterproductive steps rests entirely with the government of Bulgaria, headed by Mr. Petkov,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, referring to the former Bulgarian Prime Minister, who left office on August 2.
“We believe that such actions not only cause significant damage to traditional ties between our countries, infringe on the rights of compatriots who have lost access to consular services, but also testify to the further degradation of the collective West, which is ready to sacrifice the interests of partners in order to harm Russia,” the ministry said.
“The unconditional adherence of the official Sofia to this destructive line is regrettable,” it said.
“We are convinced that unfriendly steps towards Russia have nothing in common with the national interests of Bulgaria and its people,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
(Photo, of the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow: Shakko01)
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