Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov (AFP photo)
Russia
has slammed Bulgaria and Greece over their refusal to allow Russian
cargo planes cross their airspace, arguing that the two countries are
apparently under pressure by the United States.
Russia’s
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Tuesday that the two
countries should provide explanations on the case, although Greece has
yet to officially refuse Russian flights over its territory.
“If
anyone - in this case our Greek and Bulgarian partners - has any doubts,
then they of course should explain what the problem is all about,”
Bogdanov told the Interfax, adding that Bulgaria's decision “raises a
question about its sovereign right to make decisions about planes
crossing its airspace.”
The Russian diplomat argued that the move has come under pressure from Washington.
Other
officials in Moscow warned Bulgaria that it should expect a proper
response from Russia, with Nikolay Levichev, a vice speaker at the
Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) saying the “unfriendly
move” will not go unnoticed.
"The Bulgarian leadership which made
that decision - whatever the reasons behind it could be - has joined the
camp of adversaries of the existing system of international
relations," he said, adding, “Closing access to its airspace to planes
with relief cargoes for the war-torn Syria is an inhumane and clearly
short-sighted act.”
Nikolay Levichev, vice speaker of the Russian State Duma
The
senior Russian legislator further slammed the US sanctions on countries
like Russia, Iran and Syria, saying the three countries are the only
custodians of principles of humanitarianism in the modern world.
“Damascus
opposes radicals from the IS (Daesh); Moscow is sending aid to Damascus
and Tehran is ready to open an air corridor to Russian planes,”
Levichev said, accusing the US of keeping silent.
He also lashed out at Bulgaria for what it called the short memory of the government in Sofia.
"It
was Russia that liberated Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke in the 19th
century and contributed to the creation of the Bulgarian statehood...
the Russian memory is good," Levichev said.
