(1/2)Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov speaks to the media as he arrives for a meeting of leaders of Western Balkan countries with EU leaders in Brussels, Belgium June 23, 2022. REUTERS/Johanna Geron Acquire license rights
SOFIA, July 1 (Reuters) – Outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov rejected a Russian ultimatum at midday on Friday to reverse a decision to expel 70 Russian diplomatic staff and named the country’s finance minister as his possible successor.
The Balkan nation, a member of the EU and NATO and once a close ally of Russia, has been rocked in recent days by political upheaval that saw Parliament pass a vote of no confidence in the government of coalition last week and Petkov announced the Russian decision this week. expulsions for espionage reasons.
Russia responded on Thursday by issuing an ultimatum that included a threat to close the Russian embassy unless Sofia reversed the expulsions, a move the EU condemned on Friday as unjustified. Learn more
Petkov said in a video statement that Russia’s behavior was unacceptable.
“We will not allow Bulgaria to take the wrong direction… We will not allow foreign diplomats to issue ultimatums to the Bulgarian state (to comply with their demands) by noon,” he said. he declared.
Announcing that his centrist party, the PP, would name Finance Minister Assen Vassilev as the country’s next prime minister, he also called on all his coalition partners to support his party’s efforts to eradicate widespread corruption and work to increase income.
The diplomatic row with Russia has fractured the government after coalition ally the Socialists said it would not support a new government led by Petkov.
Socialists, traditionally friendlier toward Moscow, said they were angered by Petkov’s decision to expel the Russians. Learn more
Earlier on Friday, they called on Parliament to vote to repeal the expulsions in order to save diplomatic relations with Moscow. The largest opposition party, center-right GERB, has said it supports the evictions.
Petkov hopes his party can stay in power and avoid new elections by nominating someone other than himself as prime minister. Following Vassilev’s appointment, the socialists declared themselves ready to begin negotiations.
On Friday, President Rumen Radev will give the PP the mandate to form a new government. The party, which will have seven days to present detailed proposals, said it would only propose a new cabinet if it achieved an absolute majority in Parliament.
Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Andrew Osborn
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