Bulgarian MPs Blamed for Looming Diplomatic Row with China

Bulgarian lawmakers have been accused of committing a diplomatic blunder that could cause serious problems with China.

Members of the four parliamentary represented parties have been on a fresh VIP tour to Taipei, despite the explicit prohibition of Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov, Bulgarian Pressa (Press) daily wrote.

Rumen Yonchev from the ruling Coalition for Bulgaria, which is led by the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Ventsislav Lakov from the ultranationalist Ataka, Petya Raeva from the liberal Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), which largely represents the Turkish minority and is BSP partner in the current government, and Vladimir Toshev from the formerly-ruling, opposition center-right Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) have used their winter vacation to travel to the exotic country, and – to top it off - at the expense of the authorities in Taiwan.

Explosive tensions between Beijing and Taipei are a well-known fact along with the one that Taiwan is not recognized either by the EU or the US and Russia.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that lawmakers who traveled to Taipei have not coordinated their visit with them. The official position of the Chinese Embassy is expected later in the day.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!