Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Pre-election tension between Sofia and Ankara occurs

Photo: BGNES

Sofia and Ankara, which have been avoiding for a very long time tension related to the migrant crisis, confronted twice in one week only on election issues. First, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against the recent statement of Turkey’s Minister of Labor and Social Security Mehmet Muezzinoglu. Bulgaria interpreted his statement as unacceptable support towards a given political party and interference in Bulgaria’s home affairs. Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry reminded that Turkey itself banned all types of political propaganda related to the forthcoming Parliamentary elections in Bulgaria. One day later, Ankara called on Bulgaria to cease its measures aimed at limiting political rights of the minorities. According to Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the fact that the number of polling stations is restricted to 35 in non-EU countries impedes the Bulgarian nationals in Tukey to cast their ballots at the elections. Following a series of violent disputes the Bulgarian political parties introduced that restriction last year, but Ankara did not react immediately. Apparently, Turkey’s sensitization on that issue is not only due to Sofia’s protest, but also to similar criticism expressed by Germany which intended to restrict political agitations of Turkish officials on its territory related to the forthcoming referendum in Turkey. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Turkey to make sure such violations would not happen in the future. Thus, the two countries will be able to focus on more important topics in their bilateral relations. Bulgaria’s caretaker Premier Ognyan Gerdzhikov only called the agitation of Turkey’s Labor Minister inappropriate. However, Bulgaria has not abandoned the arguments of its protest and the country’s Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its stand after Turkey’s official response. The statement of Bulgaria’s caretaker cabinet that there are more important topics in the Bulgaria-Turkey bilateral relations is quite reasonable. However, a regular Bulgarian goverment should discuss those topics with Turkey after the early Parliamentary elections on March 26.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Political instability is an external manifestation of the war between the oligarchs, says former prime minister Denkov

"Political instability is merely an external manifestation of the war between the oligarchic clans and those who control the captured state in their struggle for influence. We want to get rid of this model". This was said by Nikolay Denkov of "We..

published on 9/15/24 5:28 PM

It is still unclear whether the DPS around Ahmed Dogan will be registered

So far there is no decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) on the filed request for independent participation of the DPS faction of honorary leader Ahmed Dogan in the snap parliamentary elections on October 27.  It was submitted yesterday..

published on 9/10/24 3:35 PM
Associate Professor Spas Tashev

Bulgarian association sends an open letter to the Albanian community in North Macedonia

The association ''Descendants of Refugees and Migrants from the Territory of the Republic of North Macedonia and Friends'' has sent an open letter to the Albanian community in North Macedonia and to the diplomatic missions accredited in North Macedonia..

published on 9/2/24 12:49 PM