Bulgaria does not owe explanations for its sovereign decisions to third parties
08 October 2014 News
Regarding the comment of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said:
The comment of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Rogozin, on the intentions of the Bulgarian government to replace outdated Russian warplanes is utterly unacceptable. Bulgaria is a sovereign state that takes independent decisions related to its security. They are not subject to review by senior representatives of other countries.
I consider the qualifications made by Mr. Rogozin addressing the Bulgarian Minister of Defense completely disrespectful. Regardless the chosen form and means of communication, they are contrary to good manners and unfortunately demonstrate lack of respect for the Bulgarian state and institutions.
As regards the implicit accusations of disloyalty, I would like to remind their authors that the Republic of Bulgaria is a member of the EU and NATO and it does not owe explanations for its sovereign decisions to third parties. The Bulgarian government owes loyalty only to its citizens and the country’s national interests.
The relations between Bulgaria and Russia have a long historical tradition and we continue to support the development of the cooperation between the two countries based on equality and mutual interest. Comments such as that of Mr. Rogozin do not contribute to such development.