Bulgaria's outgoing PM rejects Russian

1/7/2022 18:38

        Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov rejected a Russian ultimatum to reverse a decision to expel 70 Russian diplomatic staff by noon on Friday and named the country's finance minister as his possible successor.
        
        The Balkan nation, an EU and NATO member state and once a close ally of Russia, has been roiled in recent days by political upheaval which saw parliament pass a vote of no-confidence in the coalition government last week and Petkov this week announce the Russian expulsions on espionage concerns.
        
        Russia responded by issuing an ultimatum on Thursday which included a threat to close Russia's embassy unless Sofia reversed the expulsions, a move condemned by the EU on Friday as unjustified.
        
        Petkov said in a video statement that Russia's behaviour was unacceptable.