Bulgaria 'Declares Turkish Diplomat Persona Non Grata'

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry (its headquarters in Sofia are pictured here) has not yet commented on whether or not the Turkish diplomat has been asked to leave. File photo, BGNES

Bulgaria has declared persona non grata a Turkish diplomat working at the Consulate General in Burgas, a diplomatic source has said.

The decision is explained with the fact he is carrying out activity that breaches the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relation, Focus News Agency quotes the source as saying.

While he was tasked with working in social affairs, most of his activity was in the regigious sphere, according to the diplomat.

Emiroglu worked as an imam in a Turkey city prior to being sent to Bulgaria, and "diplomats" reportedly deem his current religious activity in Bulgaria incompatible with his diplomatic status.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has declined to comment on the reports "either now or in the future... in line with diplomatic practices in such situations.

In January, a socialist lawmaker submitted an inquiry to Foreign Affairs Minister Daniel Mitov to ask about the "status of Turkish diplomat Ugur Emiroglu", accusing him of interference in domestic political and religious affairs.

According to the Parliament's website, no answer has been delivered to the question as of Sunday, February 21.

However, media publications on the website of the Bulgarian Grand Mufti's Office suggest Mr Emiroglu was "religious affairs" attache at the Burgas consulate.

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