Bulgaria Blocks EU Sanctions over Patriarch Kirill Listing

Bulgaria is holding up approval of the European Union's 21st package of sanctions against Russia, according to European Pravda. Sofia is reportedly refusing to support the proposal in its current form, primarily because Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a close ally of the Kremlin, is set to be added to the sanctions list. Bulgaria views the move as interference in religious affairs.

The reservations are not limited to the church issue, however. Several EU member states have also flagged concerns about sanctions targeting the energy sector. Among the measures proposed, the European Commission is seeking to freeze the price cap on Russian oil to prevent an increase in Moscow's revenue from energy exports.

Member states will continue to discuss the proposal at a meeting of the EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives. Adoption of the sanctions package requires the unanimous consent of all EU member states.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the sanctions package in early June. It includes several new measures, such as a ban on entry into the EU for former Russian soldiers and fighters involved in the war against Ukraine.

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