site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria Summons Its Ambassador in Moscow Back for Consultations, PM Petkov Says

Bulgaria is summoning its ambassador in Moscow back for consultations and expects Russia, as is the usual practice, to reciprocate with respect to its ambassador in Sofia, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said here on Thursday.

The move follows Petkov's pledge on Wednesday that there will be a diplomatic response to a recent statement by Russia's Ambassador in Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova.

The PM was apparently referring to an interview on Russia-24 television a couple of days ago, in which the diplomat said that the Bulgarian people did not support the Bulgarian Government's rhetoric and actions against her country.

Later on Wednesday, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska described the Russian Ambassador's words as "interference in Bulgaria's domestic politics".

Speaking to Bulgarian journalists in Brussels, where he arrived for a European Council meeting, Petkov assessed Mitrofanova's response as "undiplomatic, sharp and rude".

"I don't think that any Bulgarian citizen would be glad to see a foreign diplomat offend the Bulgarians and the Bulgarian Government. The entire Government deplores it when a diplomat, no matter which, takes such liberties. Our State sets high store by institutions, and such conduct is absolutely inadmissible by any person whatsoever," the Prime Minister added.

Asked whether he expects this decision to trigger a motion of no confidence against his Cabinet, Petkov said he was certain that all sorts of opposition groups may try to exploit the subject. "I'm sure that our coalition is solid," the PM noted, adding that the Government is not divided over the issue of Ukraine.

Petkov said that over 150 British troops will join the Bulgarian battlegroup, and talks are already underway with Italy, too.

Regarding the expectation of additional sanctions against Russia, the Prime Minister explained that the measures should be as asymmetrical as possible, with maximum impact on Russia and minimum effect on the countries that introduce them. "It is not right if the countries imposing the measures are more harmed than the Russian State," he said.

Joint natural gas purchases by the EU is supposed to decrease the prices and will probably be the strongest measures of all. It lowers inflation in Europe and Bulgaria and cuts gas suppliers' revenues, Petkov explained. 

Aid for Ukraine

In his words, over 80 per cent of Bulgarians do not back providing military aid to Ukraine. "Our Government must reckon with this to a certain extent. We are doing everything possible to help Ukraine except by this direct support," he added, apparently referring to military aid.

Later on, opposition GERB Party leader Boyko Borissov told a news briefing that he, his PR Sevdelina Arnaudova and former finance minister Vladislav Goranov were arrested a week ago because GERB had expressed readiness to back a decision on sending arms to Ukraine.

Borissov claimed that last Tuesday he told the Ukrainian Ambassador in Sofia that if the Government approaches Parliament with a proposal to grant Ukraine's request for helmets, missiles and bullet-proof vests, the GERB-UDF Parliamentary Group will support it. "On the following day, I had the cheek to confirm this to [former Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko and [Kyiv Mayor Vitali] Klitschko. And on Thursday I got arrested. The idea was to prevent such a decision from being laid before Parliament, to make sure that an insulted and incensed GERB would not second it," Borissov argued. He specified that GERB-UDF still intend to back a possible decision on Ukraine. "We may be offended and embittered, but our Euro-Atlantic line is clear," the opposition leader added.