US sanctions several Bulgarian officials over corruption

The U.S. announced Wednesday it is sanctioning several former and current Bulgarian officials for supporting what the State Department called “significant corruption.” 

State Department spokesman Ned Price announced the U.S. is blacklisting former Bulgarian public officials Alexander Manolev, Petar Haralampiev, Krasimir Tomov and Delyan Slavchev Peevski, as well as current Bulgarian public official Ilko Dimitrov Zhelyazkov.

“In their official capacities as Deputy Minister of the Economy, Director of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, and Chief Secretary of the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, respectively, Manolev, Haralampiev, and Tomov were involved in corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and the Bulgarian public’s faith in their government’s democratic institutions and public processes, including by using their political influence and official power for personal benefit,” Price said.

“In his capacity as a member of parliament, Peevski used Zhelyazkov, an official in the National Bureau for Control on Special Intelligence-Gathering Devices, as an intermediary and accomplice to peddle influence and pay bribes to protect himself from public scrutiny and to exert influence over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society.”

The Treasury Department is also designating Peevski, Zhelyazkov, Bulgarian oligarch Vassil Bojkov and 64 entities owned by Bojkov and Peevski.

The sanctions will block the targeted individuals and companies from accessing the U.S. financial system and freezing any assets in the U.S. Americans will also be barred from having any business dealings with them.

The penalties come amid lingering concerns over widespread corruption in the Eastern European country — particularly from the European Union — that Bulgaria has failed to address.

“Today’s actions reaffirm our commitment to supporting rule of law and strengthening democratic institutions in Bulgaria. The United States stands with all Bulgarians whose work drives reforms forward, and the Department will continue to use its authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in the region and globally,” Price said.