“The case with the expelled Russian diplomats is not about espionage. It is about Bulgaria being used as a guinea pig and cannon fodder.” With these words, the former energy minister and one of the emblematic figures in the BSP, Rumen Ovcharov, commented on the air of Nova about the escalation of tension along the Sofia-Moscow axis.
“It is about another use of Bulgaria as a guinea pig or as cannon fodder. Just like on April 27, we were used as a cannon fodder for the rest of the countries to see what would happen if Bulgaria stopped paying for Russian gas as Russia wanted, so that the rest of the countries could be guided. We did an experiment. They shot us,” said Ovcharov.
“None of the great powers count us out. Our ruling elite is so stooped that it has betrayed our national interests for the third time in three months. The first was with the gas contract with Gazprom. Now, apart from the fact that we do not have a gas contract for the whole winter, which is happening for the first time since 1998, when we were in such a situation again”, he is categorical.
According to him, London and Washington are trying to reduce the presence of Russians in diplomatic missions in Europe. “There is an unwritten rule – the five permanent members of the Security Council have slightly larger representations,” said Ovcharov.
“I don’t think the expulsion of 70 diplomats by one of the five permanent members of the Security Council is a small thing that we can let pass. Do you believe that they might have been working against our national interest? This is so ridiculous, that it is not worth even discussing it. Did you find out what is the number of Russian diplomats in Bulgaria? The minister answered – 32. Plus another 8 in the consulates – 40”, he pointed out.
He added: “We are chasing 70 people. A month before, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that there were 40 Bulgarian diplomats in Bulgaria. According to Mrs. Elena Poptodorova – there are 40 more left. Excuse me, how is this work going? You ask me, is no one working against the interests of Bulgaria? Half of the rest are cleaners, hairdressers, secretaries, drivers. Why don’t we catch them and arrest them – they don’t have diplomatic status. What prevents us from taking them to the Bulgarian court? Obviously, we have no evidence.”
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