Standard: Bulgarian - Russian old friendship challenged by external pressure
Shortly after the South Stream saga between the EU, Russia and Bulgaria (and to some extent the US) tensions between Sofia and Moscow have renewed after caretaker Defense Minister Velizar Shalamanov recently announced that Russian fighters and bombers used by Bulgaria will be replaced to put an end to the dependence of the Bulgarian Air Force on Moscow.
In the first place, it is quite disputable whether a caretaker cabinet minister with a mandate of roughly three months should make any statements concerning long-term strategies that are in the competence of parliament and a regular government. Bulgaria's new caretaker government was seen by many as a pro-American U-turn, especially in comparison with the resigned rather pro-Russian Oresharski cabinet. Many of the newly appointed provisional ministers have an American education or work experience.
Russia was not hesitant to reply to the fighter . related insult and in a tweet Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin wrote that: „A man with the name Shalamanov has persuaded PM Bliznashki to betray Russia once again ... to the benefit of second-hand fighters".