PR expert Arman Babikyan defended the need for sanctions against Patriarch Kirill to Nova TV, defining him as a figure who supports Russia's war in Ukraine. For his part, Alexander Sidi questioned the effectiveness of such measures and stated that they will not contribute to ending the conflict.
"The Foreign Minister's statement is that we do not support these sanctions because they are unproductive. I also do not see the point in them. I do not understand how imposing sanctions against Patriarch Kirill will stop the war in Ukraine”, commented Sidi.
„I have no idea of the Foreign Minister's conceptual apparatus yet, but when it comes to war, there are also things of a symbolic nature that matter. If we return to the shoes of serious politics, Patriarch Kirill is a man who caresses missiles and does everything possible to prove that he is for the war. These people have started to use Orthodoxy as a basis and this corrupts everyone”, Babikyan pointed out.
The two also commented on whether the Bulgarian position brings the country closer to Hungary's approach regarding sanctions against Moscow, as well as to what extent Sofia's decisions are dictated by national interest and energy security.
„Here we must consider the possibility of Bulgaria defending its interests and the interests of Bulgarian citizens. Imposing these sanctions will not lead to a stop to the war. Let's see what the other part of the sanctions are“, added Alexander Sidi.
“I am not convinced that Bulgarian citizens are inclined to tolerate a foreign cleric who admires war, blood and murder”, said in response PR expert Arman Babikyan.