Bulgaria to recall its ambassador to Russia for consultations: PM

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov

SOFIA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said in Brussels on Thursday that his country would recall its ambassador to Russia for consultations, according to a press release from the government.

The reactions came after a recent interview of the Russian Ambassador to Sofia Eleonora Mitrofanova with the Russia 24 TV channel.

During the interview, Mitrofanova said that the people of Bulgaria do not support the rhetoric and actions of their government regarding the "special operation in Ukraine."

According to Petkov, Mitrofanova's statement was "undiplomatic, sharp, rude," "so what we will do is recall our ambassador from Russia for consultations."

"All diplomats know what this means in diplomatic language," Petkov said. "Usually, when one country recalls its ambassador for consultations, the other side should do the same," he said.

Recently, there have been tensions between the two countries, after Bulgaria expelled two Russian diplomats on March 2, and 10 more on March 18.