Ambassadorial faux pas

Sofia, Bulgaria

Bulgaria recalled its ambassador to Finland this week, after the diplomat was accused of selling booze under the table. Venelin Tsachevski allegedly sold hundreds of bottles of wine from the embassy wine cellar to Bulgarian expatriates living in Finland. Wine and liquor is extremely expensive in Finland, where the state imposes high taxes in an effort to discourage the popular pastime of binge drinking. But embassies get their liquor at deep discounts. Tsachevski was apparently trying to pass his savings on to his countrymen.

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