Allegedly Reconnaissance Bulgaria Expels Russian Diplomat

JAKARTA - Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry on Friday April 1 declared a Russian diplomat "persona non grata" and gave him 72 hours to leave the Balkan country on reconnaissance charges. The expulsion comes amid strained relations between Russia and Bulgaria, Moscow's closest ally. during the Cold War who is now a member of NATO and the European Union which has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bulgaria expelled 12 Russian diplomats last month and sent its ambassador home from Moscow for consultations over "non-diplomatic, sharp and abusive" remarks from Russia's ambassador to Sofia. The ministry said it had been informed by prosecutors that one of the unnamed diplomats, who is accredited as first secretary at the Russian embassy in Sofia, was involved in inappropriate intelligence activities. On Friday morning prosecutors said they were also investigating two Bulgarian National Security Agency officials. and a government official ah for being suspected of being a Russian spy. Representatives from the Russian embassy could not immediately be reached for comment. Moscow previously called the accusations against the expelled diplomats baseless and stressed that the move could threaten bilateral relations.