Bulgaria Freezes $890,000 in Russian Embassy's Assets
20220706
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Bulgarian Finance Minister Assen Vassilev said Wednesday that $890,000 in assets of the Russian embassy had been frozen because their transfer was in "direct violation of EU sanctions."
Vassilev denied that all of the embassy's bank accounts in Bulgaria had been blocked, the Bulgarian National Radio reported. The Russian diplomatic mission in Sofia argued that the money was needed to pay off the salaries of its employees.
The European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, is looking into whether the assets should be unfrozen, the minister said.
Ties between Russia and Bulgaria soured after Russia launched a security operation in Ukraine. Bulgaria expelled 70 Russian diplomats in June on allegations that they used their status for spying. Russia said this hampered the embassy's work and promised to respond in kind.
© Sputnik
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