Date
11/17/2024 6:01:12 AM
(MENAFN) radio Free Europe investigations suggest that Russia is offering unofficial consular services in the Bulgarian city of Varna, despite the expulsion of Russian diplomats and the closure of the Russian consulate in 2022. These activities appear to be taking place at the headquarters of the pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), without the knowledge or consent of Bulgarian authorities.
Although Bulgarian officials have denied any awareness of such actions, Radio Free Europe’s report indicates that consular services are being provided from the BSP’s office at Macedonia Street 33, just 400 meters from the former Russian consulate, which shut its doors in October 2023 after the lease expired.
Marina Nacheva, identified on social media as a contact for the services, confirmed the BSP’s role in facilitating consular assistance but declined to offer further details. The BSP, which has long expressed support for Russian interests, has made statements such as “Russia is our friend” during recent elections, reinforcing its pro-Moscow stance.
The investigation also found social media posts and images linking the BSP headquarters to the delivery of consular services. These revelations come amidst worsening Russian-Bulgarian relations, including the 2022 expulsion of 70 Russian diplomats and the recent removal of Russian Orthodox Church leaders in 2023. In retaliation, Russia has added Bulgaria to its “enemy countries” list.
Bulgarian officials insist they were unaware of any consular operations taking place in Varna. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has also confirmed that it has not received any official reports of such activities. Neither the Russian Embassy nor the Bulgarian Socialist Party have responded to Radio Free Europe’s inquiries.
MENAFN17112024000045015687ID1108894333
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6739dd27ee064ca19ba3d2dae4c5fa6a&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmenafn.com%2F1108894333%2FRadio-Free-Europe-investigations-suggest-that-Russia-is-offering-unofficial-consular-services-in-Bulgarian-city-of-Varna&c=2337246716057995071&mkt=de-de
Author :
Publish date : 2024-11-17 04:05:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
