Bulgaria MPs Dismiss Opposition Demand to Review Sanctions on Russia

A majority of lawmakers has rejected for a third time in a row a proposal from the socialist opposition under which Sofia could try to prevent a further expansion of sanctions against Russia.

The opposition believes tourism in Bulgaria is already likely to suffer, with some representatives of the sector fearing thousands of Russian tourists will spend their holidays elsewhere this year.

In the words of Mihail Mikov, who chairs the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the measures are already having their repercussions on agriculture. During debates in Parliament aired by the Bulgarian National Television, Mikov pointed to the fact that Bulgaria was facing a tough season given the negative consequences it will have to bear after quotas on dairy products are abolished as of April 1, 2015.

Last year Moscow imposed a ban on EU food imports in retaliation after the 28-nation bloc, alongside other Western nations, introduced sanctions against Russian companies and individuals over Moscow's stance on the Ukraine crisis.

Mikov's remarks follow his visit to Russia in end-March, where he met Russian State Duma Chair Sergey Narishkin and spoke against the restrictive measures targeting Moscow.

But answering to lawmakers' questions in Parliament Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov ruled out that Sofia could anyhow backtrack on the EU's joint position on the matter.

Borisov underlined that he had "personally raised his hand" to support the option to expand sanction voted at the European Council session in Brussels earlier this year and that it would not be fair to retract.