MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax) - The Russian embassy to Bulgaria refrained from comments on reports saying that the country expelled a Russian diplomat.
"For its part, the embassy refrains from comments," a spokesperson for the Russian embassy to Bulgaria told Interfax on Monday.
"It was only reported that a case on those very charges [espionage] had been opened in relation to a Russian diplomat. This information is available on the website of the Bulgarian prosecution service, and therefore we cannot fail to confirm it," she said.
The Bulgarian prosecution service said earlier on Monday that a Russian diplomat was suspected of spying against Bulgaria. It said a first secretary of the Russian embassy in Sofia "has been engaged in intelligence gathering activities since September 2018" by communicating with Bulgarian citizens, including high-ranking officials having access to classified information on Bulgaria, the EU and NATO.
"The purpose of the meetings was to obtain intelligence constituting state secrets," the Bulgarian prosecution service said. It did not reveal the name of the Russian diplomat in question.
Media reported in the wake of this statement that Bulgaria was expelling a Russian diplomat in connection with the investigation.
The Bulgarian State Agency for National Security said the person served at the Russian embassy in Sofia and had diplomatic status.
Bulgarian press said the official was a first secretary of the Russian embassy to Bulgaria.
The Russian ambassador was invited to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry on October 25 to be made aware of the State Agency for National Security's findings. The ministry demanded that Russia recall this embassy official before the end of Monday.
It was said the person in question has left the country.
The investigation revealed that the Russian citizen had been engaged in intelligence gathering activities since September 2018 and had regular secret meetings with Bulgarian citizens, including those having access to secret information concerning Bulgaria, the EU and NATO.