Bulgaria expels head of Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia

Bulgaria has expelled the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Sofia and two Belarusian priests, accusing them of acting in Moscow’s geopolitical interests. The National Security Agency claims that the clerics were implementing Moscow’s strategy to influence Bulgaria’s socio-political processes in favor of Russian interests. The Russian embassy in Sofia condemned the expulsions as a “blatant unfriendly act”, while the Russian foreign ministry blamed Bulgaria for the deterioration of ties between the two countries. Relations between Bulgaria and Russia have been strained since Russia’s war against Ukraine.