Ataka Leader Demands Trial Against Defence Minister

The caretaker Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov deserves a court trial, Volen Siderov, leader of the left-wing nationalist party Ataka told the bTV national channel morning show.

"He involved Bulgaria in war because he said Russia was an enemy of Bulgaria," Siderov, whose party opened their election campaign in Moscow, said.

Siderov was invited to comment on Wednesday's controversy with Russia's deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin Twitter comment and the following response of Bulgaria's caretaker Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov.

According to Siderov, Rogozin's Twitter comment was "exceptionally soft" and he sees no problem with it, because it was made in a social network and there was no need for Bulgaria to react to the statment.

"If Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry was so keen on reacting, it should have reacted when US Ambassador Marcie Ries said that Bulgarian companies participating in the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline might be sanctioned," Siderov said.