The 21st sanctions package of the European Union against Russia is facing resistance from Bulgaria. The country rejects the inclusion of Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the sanctions list. According to EU diplomats, Sofia sees this as an inadmissible interference in religious affairs.
The package was already discussed by EU ambassadors last week. Besides Bulgaria, several other member states also expressed reservations about the proposed energy sanctions, including the planned freezing of the price cap on Russian oil. The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU member states (COREPER) will meet on Wednesday, June 17, at 4:30 p.m. Kyiv time for another session to deliberate on the draft submitted by the European Commission.
The sanctions package must be adopted unanimously by the Council of the European Union. Bulgaria’s objection could delay the entire process or lead to renegotiations.
Source: www.pravda.com.ua
