Russia made another threat to Bulgaria because of the church in the center of Sofia, which was closed by our authorities because of the espionage carried out by the Russians and endangering our national security. According to Moscow, the measures taken by Bulgaria are “illegal”, although it is a matter of protecting the sovereignty of an independent state.
Moscow considers the “threat to usurp the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker” as “an open manifestation of hostility on the part of Sofia,” the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said today, TASS reported, BTA reported.
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“We consider the threat to usurp the temple as an open manifestation of hostility, a flagrant trampling of moral foundations, legal norms, including Sofia’s obligations under the treaty on friendly relations and cooperation between the Russian Federation and Bulgaria dated August 4, 1992,” Zakharova said. She warned the Bulgarian authorities that “responsibility will be sought for their illegal actions”.
The spokeswoman of the Russian ministry noted that the attacks against the property of the church “within the framework of externally inspired campaigns for the destruction of Russian-Bulgarian relations in all spheres – from state to religious” began in September of this year with the expulsion of Russian priests from Bulgaria , served in the temple. According to her, these attempts have encountered a legal obstacle – a notarial deed issued by the Bulgarian side in 1997, which confirms the right of the Russian embassy to the ownership of the church and the plot on which it was built.
“As a result, we have reached a situation where, contrary to logic and the law, literally before our eyes, a pseudo-legal basis for the confiscation of a Russian object is invented. History, laws, legislative acts, documents, justice, logic – everything screams, that the Bulgarian authorities are committing an act of lawlessness, are behaving sacrilegiously,” Zakharova summarized.
The church “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker” in Sofia was closed after the expulsion of its superior and two Belarusian priests. This was followed by a reaction from the Russian embassy in Bulgaria, which announced that the church would cease its activities at this stage, and its further fate would be decided by the Russian Orthodox Church. After the church was closed, citizens gathered in front of the building, lit candles, left flowers and demanded that it be opened.
On September 24, the co-chairman of the DPS parliamentary group, Delyan Peevski, called on the Metropolitan of Sofia to restore services in the church. Peevski assured the laity that the DPS will undertake the necessary legislative changes to ensure the maintenance of the “St. Nicholas the Wonderworker” temple. in Peevski’s position.
The next day, the Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit appointed priests from Sofia to perform the services in the temple. The Holy Synod supported the actions of the patriarch, but specified that the opening of the church is not within the competences and powers of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
On 27.09.2023, the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor’s Office (SCP) reported that a report had been received from people’s representatives in the 49th National Assembly, related to the ownership, management and operation of the temple. A prosecutor from the SGP, in accordance with the Judiciary Act, commissioned the inspection by the National Security State Agency (DANS).
On November 1, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Andrey Tsekov, announced after a meeting with I.F. chief prosecutor Borislav Sarafov, that an inspection by the prosecutor’s office has established that there is a reason for the state to attack the ownership of the “St. Nicholas Mirlikiski Miracle Worker” church through the courts. On the same day, the co-chairman of the DPS parliamentary group, Delyan Peevski, demanded that the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works “take immediate action to return the people to the temple of St. Nikolay Mirlikiyski Miracle Worker”. Meanwhile, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria announced that Acting Chief Prosecutor Borislav Sarafov has approached the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Andrey Tsekov with a proposal to file a claim for recognition of the property right of the Bulgarian state and for cancellation of the issued notarial deed concerning the ownership of the Orthodox Church “St. Nikolay Mirlikiski Miracle Worker” in the city of Sofia.
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2023-11-09 15:09:00
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