Bulgaria’s new government says it will oppose an upcoming European Union sanctions package against Russia that includes measures targeting Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill. Bulgaria’s foreign minister said the country will not support the inclusion of the church leader in the EU’s latest set of restrictive measures. According to reporting, the EU package is described as the 21st round of sanctions, and it contains additional provisions beyond the church-related measures, including energy-related steps. EU sanctions require unanimous agreement from all member states for adoption, giving each country a veto role in the final decision. The Bulgarian position therefore signals a potential obstacle to the package reaching approval in its current form. Other details of the specific energy measures are not outlined in the cited reports. Overall, both accounts describe Bulgaria’s opposition as focused on the sanctions against Patriarch Kirill included in the proposed EU package, while recognizing the broader scope of measures covered by the EU proposal.