Dimitri Medvedev

"Our approach is philosophical. We understand that Bulgaria is a small country and it has to develop. The EU provides funds and helps. But I don't think that's a reason to sacrifice relations with Russia," Russian Ambassador to Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova stated on bTV on Sunday.

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov and his Russian counterpart Dimitri Medvedev discuss energy projects on August 12. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV.

Prosecutor-general Sotir Tsatsarov told media on Tuesday that Nikolay Malinov has been charged with espionage and that a former senior Russian intelligence officer, Leonid Reshetnikov, has been barred from entering Bulgaria.

After President Rumen Radev paved the way towards improved Bulgarian-Russian relations last week, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov will follow up by visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 30.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, on a visit to Russia, is expected to meet President Putin on Wednesday to "discuss issues pertaining to further development of bilateral cooperation", Putin's office wrote in a press release.

"They will also exchange opinions on current regional issues and, primarily, on the situation in the Balkans," the same press release reads.

It may be too early to comment on, but the picture has started to get clearer about who benefited and who suffered as a consequence of Turkey's downing of a Russian war plane on Nov. 24 for violating its border with Syria.

Russia convinces Serbia: "South Stream" is not cancelled

Vladimir Putin and Dimitri Medvedev were convincing Serbian government that "South Stream" is not cancelled.