UK Ambassador: Sanctions on Russia Should Not Worry Bulgaria

British Ambassador to Bulgaria Jonathan Allen. Photo by BGNES

The UK Ambassador to Bulgaria H.E. Jonathan Allen commented on the situation in Ukraine and suggested Bulgaria's position should be more united with the rest of the EU.

This is what he wrote in his blog on the website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Tsar Liberator faces the National Assembly. Newly cleaned, with touches of gold, the statue of the Tsar leading his troops in liberation of Bulgaria is impressive. But his watchful stance and position opposite parliament, the symbol of Bulgarian democracy, brings with it some ambiguity, brought into sharper focus by the situation in Ukraine.

The ambiguity has persisted through Bulgaria’s recent history. Russia was a liberating force in 1878. In 1944, as an ally of the UK, it removed the fascist government from power. But there followed 45 years of Communist repression. Bulgaria had perhaps the slowest and steadiest transition of any nation from the Communist period, meaning that many powerful people, with old loyalties, kept positions of influence. Some people retain a nostalgia for that period.

Many Bulgarians have strong cultural and personal links with Russia and the Russian people. Russians have long travelled to Bulgaria on holiday, and now invest in property here. There is a steady commercial relationship, which is significant but not overwhelming: Russia is the seventh biggest export destination for Bulgaria (with the first six slots all held by EU countries). But Russia holds many of the energy cards in Bulgaria. And I often hear and read that there are powerful Bulgarian businessmen, with economic interests and influence over politics, with Russian links.

All these factors that make up that ambiguity can be seen...

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