site.btaPM Borissov: Bulgaria Wants to Have Friendly Relations with Both Turkey and Russia

PM Borissov: Bulgaria Wants to Have Friendly Relations with Both Turkey and Russia

Sofia, December 30 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov described as totally ungrounded insinuations about a clash in this country, via the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) party, over the relations with Russia and Turkey. Borissov noted that he wants Bulgaria to have friendly relations with both countries. "I have chosen - and this is my calling - to stand up for Bulgaria and I think I am doing it in the best possible way," Borissov said.

His comment comes in the wake of a rift in the MRF widely seen as caused by an excessive influence by Turkey on the former MRF leader, Lyutvi Mestan. At least this is what was suggested by former MRF leader and honorary chairman, Ahmed Dogan, in a speech before the party elite where he slammed Mestan for a pro-Turkish statement he had made amid mounting tensions between Turkey and Russia. The declaration was followed by Mestan's ouster from the office of party leader - and party member. According to media reports, the developments in MRF were discussed in a telephone conversation between Borissov and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu where the Turkish side tried to solicit support for Mestan and the Bulgarian government leader refused to take sides on matters concerning the internal affairs of an opposition party. Also, Turkish diplomats in Bulgaria reportedly telephoned a prepared list of MPs, local leaders and influential MRF members to lobby support for Mestan.

Approached by reporters on Wednesday, Prime Minister Borissov described the events flowing Dogan's speech as "a storm" and said that contrary to views that his fears were ungrounded, there has been "an interest by Turkey for an opportunity to influence Bulgaria's internal policy".

Asked how exactly Turkey has tried to exert influence in Bulgaria, Borissov said such attempts have been obvious. "When an Ambassador and all the general consulates start making assessments about a party - an opposition party as the MRF - and telling you how important one or another leader is, this is more than obvious," he said.

The Prime Minister said that his conscience was clear because he had told Davutoglu "everything". "I would like to thank him for showing that he had understood me. The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and their Foreign Minister, who were expected to visit Bulgaria on December 26, did not come because I refused to meet them. I told them that Bulgaria is a free country and anyone can pay a private visit but such a meeting would have sent a very bad message and would have been perceived negatively by the Bulgarian government and Bulgarian people," Borissov said.

He went on to say that when the South Stream gas pipeline was renamed "Turkish Stream" and was set to bypass Bulgaria and when the announcement about this was made in Ankara by Presidents Recep Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, he saw a  rapprochement between Turkey and Russia which he described as "monstrous" and as being "at the expense of Bulgaria".

He said he did not react publicly at the time and is doing it now because there are talks that some people in Bulgaria are under the influence of Turkey and others of Russia.

"When Bulgaria observed the European embargo against Russia, Turkey had a turnover of nearly 10 billion euro from fruits, vegetables and foods [from trade with Russia], while the Bulgarian producers suffered losses exceeding 300 million from the embargo and Russia's counter-embargo against Bulgaria. When the Russian President implied that it is not advisable to go on holiday in Bulgaria and that holiday makers should go to Turkey, and when Turkey made billions in turnover from this tourism at the expense of Bulgaria, again, I said nothing. But to claim that by wanting to have a gas hub with four or even five gas sources Bulgaria caters to others' policies or to Russia, is wrong and unfair, given the events that have transpired meanwhile", Borissov said.

The Prime Minister said he hopes that Bulgaria and Turkey will continue to work well, show solidary for one another, as NATO member states, and not pass problems onto each other.