On 24 January Russia’s ambassador to Sofia Anatoly Makarov was summoned at the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and delivered a note, giving two Russian diplomats, accused of espionage, 48 hours to leave Bulgaria.

Ambassador Makarov stated that the deadline will be met. Russia reserves the right to a retaliatory move, reads a statement by the Russian embassy posted on Facebook. The statement says further that the Russian side has not been given any proof of these charges.

The two diplomats were reported by the State Agency for National Security. According to the prosecutor’s office, one of the Russians works at the trade representation office in Sofia and was collecting information about energy security, and the other was first secretary at the mission’s consular section and was collecting information about the election processes in Bulgaria.