Bulgaria accuses Turkey of election meddling, recalls ambassador
Bulgaria accuses Turkey of election meddling, recalls ambassador
Sofia hauled in Turkey's envoy after he openly backed the new pro-Turkish Dost party, which is running in the Bulgarian election on March 26.
2 min read
Bulgarian police patrol next to a barbed wire wall fence on the Bulgaria-Turkey border [AFP]
Bulgaria on Thursday recalled its ambassador to Turkey for consultations, days after accusing Ankara of meddling in upcoming snap elections.
The foreign ministry did not provide any further details around the move, a traditional sign of diplomatic anger.
Last week, Sofia hauled in Turkey's envoy after he openly backed the new pro-Turkish Dost party, which is running in the Bulgarian election on March 26, in a campaign video.
It also slammed Ankara for encouraging the 60,000 or so Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to vote for Dost, calling the move "direct interference in Bulgarian domestic affairs".
For its part, Turkey's Foreign Ministry has accused Bulgaria of hindering ethic Turkish Bulgarians from voting, according to the Anadolu Agency.
Last year, changes to the Bulgarian Election Code imposed restrictions on voting rules. Critics argue that the reforms will deny millions of citizens abroad the right to vote.
Bulgaria has limited the number of ballot boxes in Turkey for this year's election to 35, a move Turkey sees as limiting the political rights of minorities in the country.
EU member Bulgaria shares a 270-kilometre (165-mile) border with Turkey and relies on its neighbour to stem the migrant influx, as part of a mooted EU deal signed with Ankara last year.
Ankara is locked in an escalating row with several EU countries over their blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies ahead of a Turkish referendum.
The April 16 vote aims to expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara has repeated this week a threat to withdraw from the EU migrant deal.
"Bulgaria has a plan if the agreement between Turkey and the European Union is cancelled," Bulgarian Defence Minister Stefan Yanev said Thursday, without elaborating.
Yanev said there were "no indications" right now of increased pressure on the border.
The foreign ministry did not provide any further details around the move, a traditional sign of diplomatic anger.
Last week, Sofia hauled in Turkey's envoy after he openly backed the new pro-Turkish Dost party, which is running in the Bulgarian election on March 26, in a campaign video.
It also slammed Ankara for encouraging the 60,000 or so Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey to vote for Dost, calling the move "direct interference in Bulgarian domestic affairs".
For its part, Turkey's Foreign Ministry has accused Bulgaria of hindering ethic Turkish Bulgarians from voting, according to the Anadolu Agency.
Last year, changes to the Bulgarian Election Code imposed restrictions on voting rules. Critics argue that the reforms will deny millions of citizens abroad the right to vote.
Bulgaria has limited the number of ballot boxes in Turkey for this year's election to 35, a move Turkey sees as limiting the political rights of minorities in the country.
EU member Bulgaria shares a 270-kilometre (165-mile) border with Turkey and relies on its neighbour to stem the migrant influx, as part of a mooted EU deal signed with Ankara last year.
Ankara is locked in an escalating row with several EU countries over their blocking of Turkish ministers from holding rallies ahead of a Turkish referendum.
The April 16 vote aims to expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara has repeated this week a threat to withdraw from the EU migrant deal.
"Bulgaria has a plan if the agreement between Turkey and the European Union is cancelled," Bulgarian Defence Minister Stefan Yanev said Thursday, without elaborating.
Yanev said there were "no indications" right now of increased pressure on the border.
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