Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Irena Dimitrova presented a note verbale to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Eleonora Mitrofanova
28 June 2022 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Irena Dimitrova summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to a meeting today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova was informed about the decision of the Bulgarian side to reduce the number of staff of the Russian representations in the Republic of Bulgaria within the limits not exceeding the number of the Bulgarian representations in the Russian Federation. The number should be maintained within the framework of up to 23 diplomatic and 25 administrative and technical employees.
Bulgaria’s request has two grounds: Firstly, reciprocity based on Article 11 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The staffing of overseas missions should be kept within reasonable and normal limits, given the current state of bilateral relations. Secondly, because of the activities of Russian officials, defined by the competent Bulgarian authorities as incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the purpose of which is the development of friendly relations between states. Activities deemed by the relevant institutions as a threat to the national security as grounds for declaring them unwelcome.
In the note verbale handed to Ambassador Mitrofanov, it is also stated that the Bulgarian side expects Russia to temporarily close its Consulate General in Ruse, and Bulgaria will temporarily close its Consulate in Yekaterinburg.
Ambassador Mitrofanova was handed the names of 70 assistants of the representations of the Russian Federation in Bulgaria, who should leave the territory of the country by 24 h on 3 July 2022.