Finland: Bulgarian ambassador involved in alcohol scandal

Finland: Bulgarian ambassador involved in alcohol scandal

Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin will propose to President Georgi Parvanov the dismissal of Venelin Tsatchevski following an investigation carried out by the ministry, an official statement said.

A thorough audit of the Bulgarian Embassy in Helsinki found numerous bookkeeping mistakes, as well as violations of the mission's internal rules.

A thorough investigation of the staff at the Helsinki embassy has been announced because "the poor working atmosphere at the embassy impeded the normal performance of official duties," the ministry said.

For Bulgaria, which hopes to join the European Union in January 2007, its embassy in Helsinki has become more important after Finland took the helm of the rotating EU presidency on July 1, according to the AP.