Bulgarian Officials Clash Over UN Ukraine Declaration

A diplomatic rift emerged within the Bulgarian government on September 25 after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and President Iliana Yotova issued contradictory statements regarding a United Nations declaration supporting Ukraine. The document, signed by 51 countries including all EU member states, demanded an immediate ceasefire from Russia and the return of abducted children.

While the Foreign Ministry endorsed the declaration in the name of European unity, it admitted the text did not fully reflect Bulgaria's national position. President Yotova distanced herself from the document, asserting that the Bulgarian state had no opportunity to propose edits or express reservations. She argued that peace cannot be achieved without the participation of both Russia and Ukraine, and she intentionally skipped the associated group photograph in New York to signal her dissent.

The discrepancy triggered a political scandal in the National Assembly. Opposition MPs and leaders from Democratic Bulgaria and We Continue the Change criticized the inconsistency as an embarrassment that damages Bulgaria's international credibility. MP Georg Georgiev disputed Yotova's claims, stating that Bulgaria joined the declaration deliberately and with full knowledge.

In a separate development, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova signed a draft decision to recall Ivan Yordanov, the Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. The move follows revelations that a company owned by Yordanov's father paid for flight expenses for Delyan Peevski, Chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms.