The motive for a Russian connection is rather a narrative that is quite consciously being pushed by people who are opposed to a diplomat, an analyst and a person who has only worked in hotspots going. For me, these are people in Bulgaria. Ukraine and the embassy have nothing to do with this. To some extent, the attacks are also against the activity of my son Petar Tanev, who bears my name, because his activity somehow does not fit into this certain convenient statement that it is a Russian connection.
This was stated in the show “This Morning” career diplomat Petar Tanev.
„I don't know exactly what the Russian connection is. My ex-wife, with whom we have been divorced for 15 years, is a citizen of Russia. Our paths have long since parted. My sons are young men with a strong political position, they are Bulgarians with Bulgarian citizenship. Above all, I support their civil position“, he added.
Last fall, Petar Tanev was nominated by the former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Ukraine.
However, an official decision of the Council of Ministers for appointment has not been received by “Dondukov“ 2. That is why the head of state did not issue a decree.
„The first proposal came in May (note order – 2023) and was discussed at the level of EPP deputies in the European Parliament, supported by the left. The actual nomination was at the beginning of October, when I officially received the nomination, after which the procedure started. Maria Gabriel as foreign minister is the level that proposes a person for ambassador, instructs the MFA to prepare the proposal in writing with all accompanying documents and after which was brought to a meeting of the Council of Ministers”, Tanev said.
“All the conciliation procedures up to the entry stage of the proposal for ambassadors, however, then a package with a proposal for six ambassadors was submitted, has reached the Council of Ministers. After the failure of the procedure, I only had a conversation with Maria Gabriel, who told me that the Prime Minister Denkov didn't sign the proposal just for me, which has been sitting in a secret file since then”, he added.
According to him, from then on there was no information, he did not speak with Maria Gabriel and no one informed him about the reasons and motives.
According to bTV, the reason why Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov did not sign the proposal for the appointment of Petar Tanev as ambassador of Bulgaria to Ukraine is due to ties with the Russian Federation.
„Literally by accident I was involved in a dispute at the institutional and political level, to which I have no relation. It is very unpleasant because any candidate can fall into this situation. This internal scandal harms bilateral relations, Ukraine's attitude towards Bulgaria as a reliable strategic partner, as well as externally. This case is being monitored very carefully, including by the Russian Federation," Tanev pointed out.
In his words, the term “temporary ambassador” there isn't and he doesn't know about an internal competition for ambassador of Bulgaria