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Bulgaria Rejects Moscow Ultimatum To Reverse Decision To Expel 70 Diplomatic Staff [1]
["Rfe Rl'S Bulgarian Service"]
Date: 2022-07
Bulgaria’s outgoing prime minister, Kiril Petkov, has rejected a Russian ultimatum to reverse a decision to expel 70 Russian diplomatic staff, calling Moscow’s behavior “unacceptable.”
Bulgaria has been plunged into political turmoil in recent days after parliament last week passed a vote of no-confidence in the coalition government and Petkov this week announced the Russian expulsions for breaching diplomatic protocol.
On June 30, the Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova delivered a diplomatic note, which included a threat to close the Russian Embassy unless Sofia reversed the expulsion by noon on July 1.
Petkov said in a video statement that Russia's behavior was unacceptable.
"We will not allow Bulgaria to take a wrong turn.... We will not allow foreign diplomats to give ultimatums to the Bulgarian state [to comply with their demands] by noon," he said.
Petkov also announced that his centrist PP party would nominate Finance Minister Assen Vassilev to become the country's next prime minister. He called on all his coalition partners to back his party's quest to uproot widespread corruption and to work to boost incomes.
The diplomatic dispute with Russia has fractured the government after one coalition ally, the Socialists, said they would not back a new government led by Petkov.
The Socialists, who have traditionally been more friendly towards Moscow, said they were angered by Petkov's decision to expel the Russians.
Earlier on July 1, they called on parliament to vote to revoke the expulsions to save diplomatic ties with Moscow. The biggest opposition party, the center-right GERB, said it backed the expulsions.
Analysts say Petkov hopes his party can stay in office and avoid new elections by putting forward someone other than himself to be prime minister. Following Vassilev's nomination, the Socialists said they were ready to hold negotiations.
President Rumen Radev will later on July 1 hand a mandate to the PP to form a new government. The party, which will have seven days to come up with detailed proposals, said it would only propose a new cabinet if it musters an absolute majority in parliament.
With reporting by Reuters
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[1] Url:
https://www.rferl.org/a/bulgaria-70-russian-diplomats-expelled-ultimatum/31924602.html
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