MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax) - Russia's decision to declare an employee of the Bulgarian embassy in Russia persona non grata is a symmetric measure in response to Bulgaria's decision to expel a Russian diplomat this fall, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
"Bulgarian Ambassador Atanas Krastin was presented with a Russian Foreign Ministry note on December 5 on declaring a counselor at the Bulgarian embassy persona non grata. This step is a symmetric response to the Bulgarian authorities' decision to expel a Russian diplomat from the country in October," the ministry said in a statement published on its website.