Bulgaria Expels Another Russian Diplomat

Bulgaria declared another Russian diplomat a 'persona non grata' and asked the Russian authorities for full assistance in investigating the explosions in Bulgarian arms depots, the destruction of physical evidence in a fire and the poisoning of three Bulgarian citizens so that the perpetrators could be identified.

This is written in an official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sent to the media, after the conversation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva with the Russian Ambassador in Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova.

 The conversation with Mitrofanova took place a day after the Bulgarian prosecutor's office linked Russian agents with the poisoning of the Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev, as well as with explosions in four arm factories and warehouses in Bulgaria in the last 10 years.

Reports from the prosecutor's office provoked an angry reaction from Moscow - yesterday there were comments from the Russian Foreign Ministry, and today they were followed by the statement from Kremlin. 

Almost two weeks ago, the Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian diplomats (and then dozens of other embassy staff in Prague) after announcing a link between Russian secret services and a warehouse explosion involving Gebrev EMKO's company name.

"Bulgaria wishes to maintain equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia and in this regard insists on active and effective assistance from Russia to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incidents on our territory," the statement said.

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