Bulgaria will not block the European Union’s 21st package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, despite having a number of reservations regarding specific measures included in the proposal.
This was announced by Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov during an interview with bTV, according to Novinite.
According to him, the Bulgarian government has approved the country’s official position on the new sanctions package, confirming that Sofia will continue to raise objections on several issues but will not use its veto power.
Under the government’s position, Bulgaria continues to oppose the possible inclusion of Russian Patriarch Kirill on the EU sanctions list. Sofia argues that such a measure would not have a significant economic or financial impact on Russia and would not contribute to ending the war in Ukraine.
Bulgaria has also expressed objections to the proposed sanctions against Vagit Alekperov, the current shareholder of Russian oil giant Lukoil. Sofia argues that restrictions against him could have serious consequences for Lukoil Group companies, which play an important role in the Bulgarian economy.
The third issue concerns measures affecting the maintenance of the Sofia metro system. The government did not provide detailed information on this matter, but according to reports, Sofia is concerned about possible difficulties in maintaining metro trains if certain Russia-linked companies remain under sanctions.
The latest position marks a shift from previous statements by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. After the European Council meeting in Brussels on June 19, Radev said that Bulgaria would not support the sanctions package in its current form and stressed that the country would use its voting rights to oppose it.
