Bulgaria Summons Turkish Ambassador over Minister's Campaigning

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has summoned Turkey's Ambassador Suleyman Gokce over reported campaigning of a Turkish official in favour of a certain party running in Bulgaria's early elections.

Gokce has met with interim Deputy Foreign Minister Boyko Mirchev to comment on "the issue of violations related to the conditions of carrying out Bulgarian parliamentary elections on Turkish territory which contravene both Bulgarian legislation and Turkish requirements," according to the diplomatic service in Sofia.

On Monday, it was reported that Turkish Labour Minister Mehmet Müezzinoglu told Bulgarian Turk expatriates to vote for DOST party, promising them help on the way to acquiring Turkish citizenship.

"Promising material stimuli in case of voting and open calls to back a certain political party are something we consider as direct interference in Bulgaria's domestic affairs and deem completely unacceptable," the statment goes on.

If such violations are further avoided, the two countries will be able to concentrate on issues important for bilateral relations.