"When our head of state is like an injured carrier pigeon or a bottomless mailbox walking around to explain who told him what, [and does so] to the detriment of Bulgarian citizens, the result will be like this: ones will go around us, others will mock at us, the third [group] will simply ignore us."

Rumen Petkov, the deputy chair of left-wing ABV party which has a minister in the government, accuses President Rosen Plevenliev of hurting Bulgaria's national interest and contributing to what Petkov sees as the country's growing isolation as a focus of either Western or Russian attention.

ABV, a party which supports the restoration of traditionally close relations with Russia, has demanded Plevneliev's resignation over what is believes is excessive obedience to the United States.