Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov complained about having been pressured by both the President and the PM of Turkey to intervene in the conflict that broke in the DPS party in end-December.

In an interview with private bTV station on Monday he said both Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ahmet Davutoglu had sought his support for Lyutvi Mestan, who later was dismissed as leader of the predominantly ethnic Turk party and expelled from it after criticism from honorary chair Ahmed Dogan.

Dogan slammed at Mestan for the pro-Turkish position which the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) adopted on the downing of the Russian warplane by Turkey in November.

With his remarks Borisov confirmed earlier reports that Turkish officials had demanded his intervention.

"I said it is none of my business to meddle into another party. I said: Ahmet [Davutoglu], even the fact that I am listening when you are asking me is incorrect," the Bulgarian head of government told bTV.

Earlier Borisov was reported by sources as saying that between Mestan and Dogan he would "choose Bulgaria".

On Monday he described Dogan's actions toward Mestan as "harsh", but refuted widespread claims Dogan was acting for Russia's interest in Bulgaria.

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