Bulgarian PM Hopes to See Anti-Russian Sanctions Lifted by Year's End

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov says that he hopes to maintain political and economic relations with Moscow at a high level, adding that he would like to see anti-Russian sanctions lifted before the end of the year.

Speaking at parliamentary hearings in Sofia on Friday, Borisov explained that as a member of the Euro-Atlantic community, Bulgaria cannot take a fully independent position on the prolonging of anti-Russian sanctions: "Sanctions are really an extreme measure. We supported sanctions as a member of the Euro-Atlantic community, but at the same time have pointed to heavy losses borne by our tourism, light industry and agricultural sectors due to these sanctions," the prime minister noted. 

Borisov noted that sanctions and countersanctions are part of the geopolitical crisis surrounding Ukraine, and voiced his hopes that this crisis will be resolved in the near future. "Many countries are now trying to normalize their relations, but everything depends on the [speed of the resolution of the] Ukrainian crisis. I sincerely hope that the crisis will be resolved during 2015, and that the need for sanctions and countermeasures will disappear, accordingly."

In Borisov's view, the present situation of geopolitical tension in Europe is dangerous not only in economic terms, but politically and militarily as well: "I think that the situation today is worse than it was during the Cold War, when there was a series of clear rules. Now the rules are unclear, and we make decisions based on our collective membership in NATO and the European Union."

The prime minister emphasized that sanctions harm each side, adding that Sofia is doing all it can to keep relations with Moscow at a close level, including participation on a ministerial level in a number of Russian business forums. "We support dialogue at the highest possible level and participate in Russian forums in order to demonstrate that we do not want to break relations with a brotherly nation, and do not want to lose out economically."