The decision by a regional court in Bulgaria to extradite a Russian dissident living in exile in the Black Sea city of Varna to Moscow is an outrage.

The case demonstrates the danger faced by Russians who oppose the Ukraine war, even when they reside within a European Union state.

The decision to extradite flies in the face of Bulgaria’s obligations under EU treaties and highlights the grave condition of the rule of law in Bulgaria, which has been a member of the EU since 2007.

It also underlines the degree to which Russian influence still holds sway in the Balkan state as Bulgaria heads towards a fourth general election in eighteen months on October 2.