Sofia, June 18, 2026
Photo: euronews.com
Bulgaria has confirmed it is opposing elements of the European Union’s proposed 21st package of sanctions against Russia, including a measure that would place His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the EU blacklist.
Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told reporters on June 17 that the government doesn’t support sanctions it considers “symbolic,” citing the proposed designation of Pat. Kirill alongside energy-sector measures as examples, reports the Sofia Globe.
“There are a number of elements that we do not support—on the one hand in the energy sector, and on the other, sanctions related to Russian Patriarch Kirill, which fall into the category of symbolic measures. They have the potential to be counterproductive,” Petrova said.
“We support sanctions that have a real economic effect, but do not lead to greater damage for the member states than for the country waging the war,” she said. “When it comes to sanctions that are primarily symbolic in nature and do not have real economic consequences, Bulgaria opposes them.”
The European Commission put forward the 21st sanctions package on June 9. Until recently, proposals to sanction Pat. Kirill had been blocked by Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Following the change of government in Budapest and the rise of Peter Magyar, Hungary has indicated it’s now prepared to allow the measure to proceed.
Bulgaria has consistently expressed reservations in previous rounds of discussions over sanctions targeting the Russian primate, citing concerns about religious freedom and the appropriateness of measures directed at spiritual leaders.
Meanwhile, the EU recently imposed sanctions on His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Crimea of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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