Baku/Sofia/Paris September 13, 2025
A diplomatic scandal has erupted in Sofia after Azerbaijani Ambassador Huseyn Huseynov was suddenly recalled from his post in Bulgaria.
According to Bulgarian media and court filings cited by local sources, a woman identifying herself as Maria Boteva, formerly employed at the Azerbaijani embassy in Sofia, has filed a lawsuit claiming that Huseynov fathered her child.
In her petition to the Sofia City Court, Boteva states she met the ambassador in April 2024 while applying for a secretarial position. Their relationship, she alleges, soon became intimate, and she gave birth to a daughter in March 2025.
The lawsuit requests that the court order a DNA test, recognize paternity, and establish alimony payments of 1,000 Bulgarian leva (approximately 1,000 manats) per month, along with visitation rights.
Boteva told reporters she had initially believed Huseynov was divorced and living separately from his wife. She also claimed he accompanied her to medical consultations during the pregnancy but later refused to acknowledge the child. A first hearing is reportedly set for November 21 in Sofia.
Diplomatic sources in Baku suggest that the scandal was a factor in the ambassador’s recall, though no official confirmation has been provided. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued a public comment, nor has Huseynov himself responded to the allegations.
Huseynov is married to Leyla Abdullayeva, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to France.
