site.btaForeign Ministry Issues Warning to Bulgarians in UK as Riots Continue

Bulgarian nationals in Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom affected by ongoing riots are advised to avoid places where people gather in large numbers, the situation centre of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said on the ministry’s website on Thursday.

The violence erupted after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in Ballymena, a town with a relatively large migrant population located 45 km from Belfast, Reuters reported.

The Foreign Ministry situation centre urged Bulgarians to addhere strictly to the instructions of the local authorities and avoid confrontation with protesters. Those who need assistance are urged to immediately establish contact with the Bulgarian diplomatic and consular representations in the UK.

The Bulgarian Consulate in Edinburgh can be contacted by telephone at 01315264910 or via email at consulate.edinburgh@mfa.bg. The Bulgarian Embassy in London can be reached by telephone at +44 2075813144 during working hours and +44 2075849400 during non-working hours, or via email at embassy.london@mfa.bg or consular.london@mfa.bg.

Reports and assistance requests in emergency situations affecting Bulgarian nationals may be submitted round the clock to the situation centre in Sofia by telephone at +359 2 948 24 04; +359 2 971 38 56; or +359 893 339 616; or via email at crisis@mfa.bg.

The Foreign Ministry recommends Bulgarian nationals travelling abroad to register on its website section “Patuvam za...” (“I’m travelling to...”).