site.btaSofia Serves Note on Turkish Ambassador over MRF Developments

Sofia Serves Note on Turkish Ambassador over MRF Developments

Sofia, January 13 (BTA) - The Foreign Ministry in Sofia has served a note on the Turkish Embassador over "his actions and behaviour", Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said in Parliament Wednesday, apparently referring to the position of the Embassy over the developments in the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF).

MRF leader Lyutvi Mestan was ousted by the party founder and honorary chairman, Ahmed Dogan, on the day before Christmas and Ambassador Suleyman Gokce, along with other Turkish diplomats, tried to lobby support for the MRF leader as his ouster was becoming imminent, according to Borissov's account of the events.

He said during Question Time in Parliament Wednesday that Ambassador Gokce was summoned to the Foreign Ministry "on December 23 or 24 and was presented a note about his actions and behavior".

"Being good neighbours, we did not want to be too loud about these issues but we did what we had to do," Borissov said in his answer to a question by MP Dessislav Choukolov of the nationalist Ataka.

The Prime Minister added, though, that on a number of occasions he has thanked Turkey for its assistance amid the migrant crisis. He also said that Bulgaria has always aspired to have "normal friendly relations with the leadership of this neighbouring country and we have maintained decent relations of trust".

He also said that he believes the wish of the Turkish leadership was "to inform itself about the predictability of processes in the MRF".

Borissov also raised the issue of Muslim theological training in Bulgaria.

"I would be happy to participate in a chairmanship council [in Parliament] to discuss an issue which has been avoided in the past 25 years but now calls for a solution. I would be happy to see Parliament making a common decision about how and where Bulgarian Muslims should be trained and where their diplomas should be issued," the Prime Minister said.

He argued that the issue is being avoided out of a fear that those who raise it may be accused of catering to the interests of the MRF.

"We have hundreds of thousands of imams and muftis, the vast majority of them are maintained by the Turkish State. Everybnody knows this: you, ourselves and those in the far Right," he said turning to the representatives of all parts of the politicalspectrum.

Borissov said that things should be called by their real names and the best solution should be found.

He said though that anybody who suggests that an Islamic institute be created in Bulgaria to train Muslim preachers, risks to come under strong criticism. He said that Bulgaria is a country of tolerance and conditions must be provided for Muslims to obtain good theological education and practice their religion. "We must make sure that this be done according to curricula which agree with [traditional] Islam," Borissov said adding that he hopes the matter to be discussed in the coming weeks.