Bulgaria blocks sanctions against Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill. Photo: patriarchia.ru

On June 17, 2026, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova confirmed that the country’s government is blocking part of the proposals in the EU’s new sanctions package against Russia. The initiatives concern Patriarch Kirill personally. Bulgaria explained its decision by the lack of any real economic effect from such steps, Sofia Globe reports.

“Bulgaria’s position is clear – we support sanctions that have a real economic effect,” Petrova told journalists. According to her, restrictions against a spiritual leader fall into the category of “symbolic measures” that do not help end the conflict but harm EU member states.

The minister stressed that sanctions should exert economic pressure in order to bring about a return to negotiations, rather than cause EU countries more damage than the country waging the war. At present, EU countries continue to discuss the 21st package, with many states voicing reservations about its final version.

Until recently, the initiative to add the Primate of the ROC to the “blacklists” had consistently been blocked by Hungary. However, after the government of Péter Magyar came to power, Budapest signaled its readiness to allow sanctions against the head of the ROC.

As the UOJ reported, the European Union imposed sanctions on a ROC metropolitan.

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