site.btaVazrazhdane Leader Sees Threat of US Interference in Patriarch Election Procedure

The President should convene the Consultative Council on National Security because of a threat of foreign interference in the procedure for electing a patriarch of the Bulgarian church, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov told journalists on Thursday. He stressed that the party has so far sent two letters to President Radev with the same request, but so far there has been no response.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is under threat, Kostadinov said, recalling that the procedure for electing a patriarch begins on Thursday. He argued that there is a great threat that hovers as a burden in church circles and among the faithful people – “the threat of an ecclesiastical schism,” as certain political circles are trying to impact the process.

On March 19, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church decided to convene a Local Council for the election of a new Bulgarian Patriarch on June 30. On June 20, a special meeting of the Holy Synod is to elect three eparchy metropolitans eligible to be elected Patriarch.

Kostadinov argued that it is a matter of foreign interference from the US, which aims to put at the head of the Church a patriarch who will "bring our Orthodox Church into a state of schism with the largest Orthodox Church - the Russian”.

"The schism in the Orthodox world is very serious and it is being inspired by the so-called Ecumenical Patriarch," Kostadinov added. In his words, the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Council, which is being prepared for the end of the month, puts the Orthodox Church as an independent institution under threat.