Armenian Delegation Subjected to Dehumanizing Search at Bulgarian Airport, Reports Say

A diplomatic scandal erupted at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport, according to Bulgarian media outlet Blitz. On October 1, an Armenian delegation led by the mayor of Ani, Arman Saribekyan, arrived in Bulgaria only to be subjected to humiliating searches.

Reports indicate that the delegation members were forced to undress completely, interrogated, and detained for several hours in secured areas. The delegation arrived in Bulgaria at the invitation of Georgi Georgiev, the mayor of Novi Pazar. He stated that all officials and accompanying persons had the necessary documents and Schengen visas provided by the Bulgarian embassy in Yerevan.

However, upon arrival at 2:20 AM, they were stopped by border police. “Our guests were taken to a separate room, forced to undress, and underwent a detailed search. Personal belongings were opened, and even the frame of a gift painting was damaged. The entire process was accompanied by insulting questions about who they are, why they have come, and why now,” Georgiev recounted.

According to him, police claimed to suspect the delegation of intending to illegally cross the border and head to Austria. Conversations were conducted solely in Bulgarian and English, while attempts to explain in Russian were ignored.

The delegation was released only after two and a half hours but was instructed to return to the airport on October 4 to leave Bulgaria, with threats of being banned from entry otherwise. The Armenian ambassador in Sofia, Tsovinar Hambardzumyan, sent an official note of protest to the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs condemning the “unacceptable and humiliating treatment” of the official delegation from a friendly country.

Despite the incident, the Armenian delegation was able to participate in the festive events organized in Novi Pazar.