Russia calls on Bulgaria to restore normal diplomatic dialogue between the two countries.
This was stated by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova, emphasizing that at the moment lack any contacts with the new Bulgarian government. According to the Russian diplomat, Sofia is showing more moderate rhetoric on the domestic political scene, but there are still no real steps to change the course of relations.
In official statements quoted by TASS and the Russian Foreign Ministry, Mitrofanova notes that the political dialogue is currently practically frozen. “The new Bulgarian government is currently only ready to improve bilateral relations in words and verbally, but de facto nothing has changed“, she told news agencies. The Russian representative added that Bulgarian diplomats on international platforms continue to follow the current line imposed by the country's commitments to the European Union and NATO.
Business and energy are in complete stagnation
In addition to the diplomatic stalemate, Eleonora Mitrofanova also drew attention to economic ties, which in her words are “practically frozen“. She gave an example of the lack of any talks in the field of energy and the uncertainty in which areas there could be negotiations in the future.
The diplomat also commented on the situation surrounding the “Lukoil“ refinery in Burgas, emphasizing that Russian oil is necessary for its normal functioning. According to Mitrofanova, in order to preserve the plant and avoid economic turmoil, Bulgaria will probably have to request a new derogation from Brussels.
EU and NATO restrictions remain a barrier
According to the Russian side, Sofia's high degree of political dependence on decisions in Brussels remains a major obstacle to restoring normal cooperation. Official Moscow recognizes that although the statements of Bulgarian statesmen inside the country are more restrained, the real economic and cultural exchange between Bulgaria and Russia continues to be in a state of serious stagnation.
The Russian Embassy in Sofia expresses skepticism about the rapid expansion of cooperation, since Bulgaria's commitments to Euro-Atlantic partners dictate firm frameworks that the current cabinet will not transgress.