The Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow has denied a Schengen visa to an accredited correspondent of the Russian news agency TASS, who was supposed to cover the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Varna.
The official reason given for the denial is that “one or more Schengen member states consider the person a threat to state policy or internal security“.
The journalist had a valid accreditation from the European Gymnastics Union (European Gymnastics) and an official letter of assistance, but Bulgarian authorities have decided not to allow him to enter the country. Russian media noted that no Russian journalist had received a Bulgarian visa for this competition.
The Russian's letter was signed by the CEO of European Gymnastics Lisa Wortman, addressed to the Bulgarian embassy, in which she insisted that the journalist be issued a visa so that he could cover the competition directly from the gymnastics arena in Varna.
The European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships will be held in Varna from May 27 to 31.
The refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists to enter Bulgaria for the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships is illegal, Dmitry Svishchev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma's Committee on Physical Culture and Sports (LDPR), told TASS.
“This is another illegal decision by the European authorities,“ Svishchev said. “The journalists had the relevant documents from the European Gymnastics Union, certifying that they were traveling to cover the competition. And with such decisions, the European Union simply imposes a ban on journalistic activity and contradicts its own declared principles of supposed freedom of information. Meanwhile, the journalists are also participants in the competition, and with their decisions, the European authorities undermine the organizer of the European Championships. This is typical discrimination based on nationality and a ban on journalistic activity“.
Russian fans will probably be able to travel to Varna to support the athletes at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova told TASS.
“In recent days, the Russian Foreign Ministry and our embassy have been actively working with our Bulgarian colleagues to provide Russian fans with visas to participate in the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships“, she said. “As far as I know, over 150 fans managed to apply for visas to come to Bulgaria and congratulate our athletes. Their visas will probably be issued in the next day or two. Of course, representatives of our embassy, as well as compatriots in Bulgaria, will also travel to Varna.“
The diplomat noted that at the moment she is not aware of any refusals to issue visas to Russian journalists accredited for the competition.