SOFIA, May 1. /TASS/. The European Union has sabotaged all attempts to normalize relations with Russia, Petar Volgin, a member of the European Parliament of the Bulgarian political party Revival, argued.

"Only fanatics can claim that normalizing relations with a great power like Russia is dangerous. I discussed this at EP plenary debates on normalizing relations with Russia in culture and sports," Volgin told TASS in an interview.

According to him, culture, sports, and science must not be "victimized by ideological intolerance." "Today, in the heart of Europe, concerts and shows get cancelled only because Russian performers take part in them. And the European Commission ended funding for the Venice Biennale because a Russian pavilion was opened at the art exhibition," Volgin lamented.

"Sports and art have always contributed to peace, and today European Union leaders are doing the opposite as they hinder ties between nations and sabotage attempts to normalize relations. Such bans lead to war, not peace," the Bulgarian politician noted.