Scandal Erupts: Moscow Allegedly Pays MEPs to Influence European Elections
A brewing scandal has gripped European politics as reports surface of Russia's alleged payment to high-ranking Members of the European Parliament
HOT: » Assessing the Legacy of Bulgaria's "Denkov" Cabinet: Achievements, Failures, and What Comes Next
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has expressed his disappointment with Tuesday's ruling of the Macedonian Supreme Court that deprived a Bulgarian mother of custody over her small daughter.
The Supreme Court overturned last years' ruling of the Court of Appeals that returned little Suzanna to the custody of her mother, Bulgarian Spaska Mitrova.
"I believed the Spaska Mitrova case is over," Borisov told reporters, reminding that the Macedonian court had ruled in her favor at several instances.
"The entire Bulgarian community has supported her," he added.
"As a country, we could hardly comment the court and its ruling. It is highly unpleasant for me to comment on a topic like this," the Bulgarian PM noted, saying the case is a "test in diplomacy."
"I will not link this case to our attitude towards Macedonia in the European Council, but I declare that Bulgaria will be very strict when the criteria are adopted for (Macedonia's) accession to the European community. Extremely strict," Borisov stated.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister pointed out that his country has seen its relations with Serbia and Kosovo significantly improved.
"I sincerely hoped our colleagues from Macedonia would do the same, but hardly a day or a week passes without us receiving signals that the Bulgarian nation does not deserve at all," he said.
In 2011, Supreme Court of Appeals in Macedonia's Skopje granted custody rights to Spaska Mitrova, who was thrown for three months in jail in 2009 for preventing her former husband from meeting their child.
The infant was taken away from the mother by force, following a series of contradictory court decisions.
The young woman holds a Bulgarian passport and perceives herself as Bulgarian. She was sentenced and served time in a Macedonian prison over charges she did not allow her husband to see Suzanna. She was released on parole, but then the parental rights case began.
Mitrova has been the cause of diplomatic scandal between the two countries since 2009.
In the aftermath of the news about the Court's rule in March 2009, the Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed deep concern over the way the custody trial was held, defining it as non-transparent and staged in the conditions of a very negative public environment, which included physical force, detention, and depriving the mother of her right to see her child.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
In a statement that underscores the United States' keen interest in Bulgaria's political landscape, US Ambassador Kenneth Merten expressed disappointment at the failure of negotiations to form a government in the country
Nathaniel Copsey has been appointed as the new British Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria, succeeding Rob Dixon, announced the British Embassy
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev engaged in a telephone conversation with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, expressing heartfelt gratitude on behalf of Bulgaria
Bulgaria has taken a firm stance against the recent Russian presidential elections held in the illegally occupied territories of Ukraine
Russian-Bulgarian relations are practically reduced to zero. The current government is carrying out an outright Russophobic policy, destroying the foundation of our bilateral cooperation
In a recent message, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the Bulgarian people on the occasion of the 146th anniversary of Bulgaria's Liberation Day
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022