Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov stated on Wednesday that the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Turkey can not depend on the political crisis within one or another Bulgarian party or the actions of Bulgarian or Turkish politicians.

In this way he commented the splits within the second largest opposition party in Bulgaria – the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), which have been taking place after the ousting of its leader Lyutvi Mestan in December last year.

In an interview for private bTV station, Mitov highlighted that Bulgaria has to maintain its relations with Turkey as the ties were too important to depend on the fate or the actions of a certain politician.

The foreign minister criticised Mestan for having sought protection by the Turkish embassy.

He could not explain the behaviour of a Bulgarian politician seeking protection in a foreign embassy, identifying his action as incomprehensible.

Mitov was not aware whether there was any threat to Mestan's safety.

He assured that the Bulgarian diplomacy had done everything possible to ensure that Bulgarian-Turkish relations are not negatively affected by the developments within DPS.

The foreign minister was firm that a party could not be a mediator between two governments.

He noted that Mestan had not acted as a mediator between Bulgaria and Turkey, with the prime ministers of the two countries talking directly to each other without intermediaries.

Mitov revealed that he had called on the Turkish ambassador to refrain from actions which could be interpreted as interfering in Bulgaria's internal affairs.

On Monday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov admitted that he had been pressured by Turkish President Recep Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to take side in the conflict within DPS and back Mestan.