Bulgaria’s ambassador to Belgrade Radko Vlaikov stated that Bulgaria is expecting a clear answer from Serbia regarding the detention of Bulgarian doctors in Bosilegrad and, on the basis of this answer, will determine whether it was an initiative by the local authorities or at a central level.

On Friday three Bulgarian doctors who went to the town to provide free medical services to the socially disadvantaged were detained by the police for several hours because they were not licenced to conduct any medical activity in the country. Radko Vlaikov commented that there was a formal breach, but that the reaction by the Serbian authorities was out of proportion. In the words of the Bulgarian ambassador, there is good understanding at a central level in Serbia of the problems of ethnic Bulgarians in that part of the country, but that that this was not so with regard to the authorities locally.