Bulgaria will not retaliate against the downing of its Accra Embassy despite the illegal action being in contravention of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961.

A private developer who has now been identified as President Akufo-Addo’s appointee on the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) Board, Dr Adu-Ampomah, entered the property illegally with heavy equipment in August 2021 and demolished it.

Despite a “stop work” order issued by the Lands Commission, the developer, in defiance, continued to develop the land and has raised a structure on the property belonging to the Bulgarian government.

This move prompted the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, to direct Dr Adu-Ampomah to, as a matter of urgency, halt all building activities on the land when he visited the site on Wednesday, 16 March 2022.

Reacting to this development on 12 Live on Class91.3FM on Thursday, 17 March 2022, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Ghana and Nigeria, Mr Yanko Yordanov, said despite his country’s disappointment in the action of the developer, the country will not retaliate.

He told 12Live anchor Valentina Ofori-Afriyie, “Let me emphasise: there will be no retaliation of any magnitude, let me emphasise. When Ghana had an Embassy in Bulgaria between 1984 and 1993 that was an Embassy that was landed by Bulgaria to Ghana with no cost involved to Ghana. That demonstrates that since that time, Ghana and Bulgaria were the greatest of friends and this is why we are very surprised about what happened because the friendship and cooperation always prevailed over any kind of other situation between Bulgaria and Ghana.”

He stressed, “This is why I wouldn’t say there will be a retaliation, we do recognise it’s an act committed by very few individuals who have nothing to do with the Ghanaian people, who are always very friendly to Bulgaria and we do respect that…”

Mr Yordanov, however, said Bulgaria wants the Ghanaian government to restore the embassy.

“We are a bit disappointed that this situation continues after more than five years. We want Bulgaria granted access to its own property that has been recognised as Bulgaria’s by Ghana’s own Supreme Court.”

He said the message he wants to pass is: “We [Bulgaria] don’t accept this situation, it is really unacceptable, and at the same time while we continue insisting on Ghanaian authorities to do their part, we are also hopeful that very soon a decision will be made and a settlement will be done so Bulgaria and Ghana will focus on our very much positive agenda in terms of cooperation and trade, education and all the areas of common interest.”