Ministry of Foreign Affairs Responds to Presence of Foreign Diplomat at Protest in Sofia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 17 released a statement expressing concern over the presence of a foreign diplomat during a protest in Sofia.

Following the detention of the Mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, a subsequent protest was held in Sofia in support of Kotsev and against selective justice.

• Protest Held in Sofia in Support of Arrested Mayor of Varna

“The Ministry attaches the highest importance to maintaining an active and constructive dialogue with the diplomatic corps accredited in the country, as well as to the spirit of good cooperation with foreign missions carrying out their mandate on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Ministry underscores the importance of respecting the principles of diplomatic courtesy, respect, and impartiality toward the internal political processes of the host country, as a foundation for sustaining mutual trust and respectful relations between institutions,” the statement reads.

“In this context, the Ministry would like to appeal to the representatives and heads of diplomatic missions in the country to exercise particular care and professional sensitivity regarding their public appearances, in order to avoid any possibility of their actions being instrumentalised for domestic political purposes.

Any direct or indirect involvement in national political processes risks placing diplomatic representatives in a position incompatible with the nature of their mandate and the functions of the diplomatic service as a whole.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains deeply committed and prioritises the maintenance of open and constructive dialogue with all its partners. It expresses confidence that good diplomatic practices will continue to serve as a guiding principle in the relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the foreign missions represented in the country,” the statement concludes.