The Foreign Ministry linked the expulsion of a Russian journalist from Bulgaria with the visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State

A few days before the expulsion of Russian journalist Alexander Gatsak from Bulgaria, US Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Liz Allen arrived in this country on a visit, the government received “clear targets” from Washington, stated official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.

To understand the reasons for the “unprovoked persecution” of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta correspondent, it is enough to study the political chronicle of the US Embassy in Sofia, Zakharova said in her Telegram channel. In particular, during Allen’s visit, the Bulgarian government received instructions on how to conduct “public diplomacy.” According to a Foreign Ministry representative, “this is censorship, the expulsion of Russian journalists and a ban on freedom of speech.”

Washington paid almost $1 million through a specialized grant from the State Department, Zakharova indicated.

“Formally – to “increase media literacy.” It turns out that the price for expelling a Russian correspondent from the country according to the overseas price list is $900,000. Loyalty to Washington is priceless,” she wrote.

On October 31, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported that the Russian Embassy in Sofia received a notification from the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, which stated that Gatsak’s accreditation was canceled and his expulsion. On November 1, the reason for the expulsion in Bulgaria was called “activities that pose a threat to the national security” of the republic. They emphasized that such a measure is aimed “at protecting national security, and not at restricting freedom of speech and expression.”

In connection with the incident, the Russian side announced the expulsion of the chief correspondent of the Bulgarian National Radio in Moscow, Angel Grigorov. According to Zakharova, Sofia was aware of such “inevitable mirror consequences,” but the fate of Grigorov and the Bulgarian audience was indifferent to Washington. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to return the accreditation of a Bulgarian journalist if the Rossiyskaya Gazeta correspondent is accredited in Bulgaria.