Foreign Minister Expects Bulgarian US Ambassador's Resignation

Jeleva continued that she had held talks with President Georgi Parvanov late Thursday and that she will give him extra information regarding the cases with the ambassadors. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency

Bulgaria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Rumiana Jeleva, has confirmed the resignation of Bulgaria’s ambassador to Turkey and added that she expected Bulgaria’s US ambassador to follow suit.

Jeleva said Friday that Bulgaria's ambassador to Ankara, Branimir Mladenov, had resigned as he wanted to preserve the reputation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. She added that she expects Bulgaria’s ambassador in Washington, Lachezar Petkov, to resign soon but stated that he has not done so yet.

Jeleva continued that she had held talks with President Georgi Parvanov late Thursday and that she will give him extra information regarding the cases with the ambassadors.

She concluded; “The Foreign Affairs Ministry has not used this scandal in anyway for political purposes.”

The news comes a week after the Bulgarian government approved the recall of the Ambassadors to Turkey and the USA, Branimir Mladenov and Lachezar Petkov, over violations in the Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections in July 2009 in the respective countries.

President Georgi Parvanov, whose signature is needed in order to actually recall the incriminated Ambassadors, however said he is not convinced that they are guilty and accused the government of excluding him from the investigation of their alleged violations.

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