A complaint that we received today alleges administrative obstruction within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bulgarian Embassy in Cairo over visa procedures for a foreign sports delegation scheduled to participate in an international karate event in Bulgaria in June 2026.
According to the signal, an Egyptian delegation was invited to take part in an international tournament and summer camp linked to the “Black Sea Cup,” scheduled for 13–14 June 2026 in Nessebar. The invitation, issued by the Bulgarian National Federation Karate, includes the names of two athletes and confirms their participation as competitors.
The complainant claims that despite the official invitation, the Consular Department in Cairo and the Directorate for Consular Relations in Sofia issued conflicting and ultimately negative decisions regarding visa issuance, effectively preventing the delegation from traveling.
In response to the situation, the complainant states that they submitted an appeal to the Administration of the President of Bulgaria. In a letter dated 3 June 2026 (ref. No. 99-00-38), the Head of the Presidential Administration, Margarita Vucheva, reportedly forwarded the case to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, citing Article 112 of the Administrative Procedure Code and requesting an opinion and notification of the parties involved.
