site.btaGERB Distance Themselves from Volen Siderov's Visit to Crimea

Sofia, April 25 (BTA) - Bulgaria's ruling GERB party on Wednesday distanced themselves from Ataka party leader Volen Siderov's visit to Crimea last week and the statements he made there. "Volen Siderov does not represent the government's foreign policy. We do not accept his visit as normal," GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov told journalists.

During his visit to the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Crimea, Siderov talked with the Head of the Republic of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, attended a major economic forum in the seaside resort of Yalta, and took part in a discussion about the EU and Russia. Bulgarian media quoted him as saying in Yalta: "Crimea is not an annexed or occupied area, as the hybrid-war-mongers describe Crimea's joining Russia." He also noted: "Europe-Russia relations are still in a crisis but this will not last long." Siderov said Bulgaria has a wonderful chance to act as an intermediary between the EU and Russia while presiding over the EU Council in the first half of this year.

Siderov's party, Ataka, is a member of Bulgaria's power-sharing nationalist coalition of the United Patriots, in which he is the floor leader.

In his reaction on Wednesday, Tsvetanov said the question of Siderov's trip to Crimea will be raised during a meeting of the Coalition Council of the ruling parties which will be held in the coming days. Tsvetanov said he discussed the matter with the United Patriots on Tuesday, telling them that "what happened was unhealthy for the country and was not good for the government." The United Patriots told Tsvetanov that Siderov and MP Yavor Notev were in Crimea in a personal capacity and met with the Bulgarian community in Crimea.

GERB and the United Patriots have a coalition agreement between them and a governance programme, and together they are serving a four-year government term, Tsvetanov noted, adding: "There are no such details in these agreements, but the coalition agreement and the programme contain very clear signals and messages that there is no alternative to Bulgaria's Euro-Atlantic orientation and its membership of the EU and NATO."