Bulgaria to veto EU sanctions against Russian Patriarch
Bulgaria is prepared to use its veto power regarding new European sanctions against Russia if the Russian Patriarch Kirill is included in the list of restrictive measures. This was stated by the country's president, Rumen Radev, during a statement.
The position of the Bulgarian state is that imposing sanctions on religious leaders is contrary to the principles of freedom of religion. According to the authorities in Sofia, such measures could lead to unnecessary tension and do not contribute to resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
The issue of including the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in the European Union's sanctions list has been under discussion for some time. Some European countries are pushing for stricter measures against Russian officials and public figures who support the military actions.
Bulgaria remains one of the main participants in the discussions on the topic within the EU. The decision to impose sanctions requires full consensus from all 27 member states, which means that a Bulgarian veto would halt the adoption of these specific measures.
At the moment, the situation remains the subject of diplomatic negotiations between Sofia and Brussels. It is expected that in the coming weeks it will become clear whether the sanctions list will be modified in order to reach a consensus among all European partners.