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Former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel reportedly engaged in communications with the United Kingdom regarding the possible lifting of sanctions imposed on Bulgarian politician and businessman Delyan Peevski. This claim was made public by Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of the “Yes, Bulgaria” party (party of the WCC-DB coalition), via social media. According to Mirchev, these actions were carried out during Gabriel’s tenure in office without public disclosure. Gabriel served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from June 6, 2023, to April 9, 2024, in Nikolay Denkov’s government. Mirchev also recalled that GERB leader Boyko Borissov previously pursued similar efforts with the United States, reportedly offering a “barter of strategic assets” to Donald Trump Jr. in an attempt to have sanctions under the Magnitsky Act lifted from Peevski. Mirchev described these maneuvers as part of a broader concern within GERB to demonstrate political activity, suggesting pressure to act for the benefit of their allies. Regarding the sanctions themselves, in June 2021, the US State Department placed three Bulgarians- oligarch Vasil Bozhkov (The Skull), former MP Delyan Peevski, and Ilko Zhelyazkov, Deputy Chairman of the National Bureau for Control of Special Intelligence Means - on the Magnitsky list for abusing power and diverting state funds for personal gain. Later, five additional individuals - Rumen Ovcharov, Alexander Nikolov, Ivan Genov, Nikolay Malinov, and Vladislav Goranov - were also sanctioned by the US. In February 2023, the UK implemented similar measures, targeting Bozhkov, Peevski, and Zhelyazkov. The British authorities stated that Peevski sought to control key institutions and sectors through bribery and his media influence, while Zhelyazkov used his position to divert lucrative government contracts, and Bozhkov engaged in bribery to protect his business interests. Money tied to these individuals was described as depriving Bulgaria of essential resources for public infrastructure and economic development. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Borissov had promoted TurkStream as a potential American investment, reportedly in exchange for lifting Magnitsky sanctions on his close allies. During the meeting with Donald Trump Jr., Borissov initially downplayed the interaction but later admitted he had lobbied on behalf of “my people,” seemingly referencing former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov. Notably, Goranov was not sanctioned by the UK, raising questions about why Mariya Gabriel focused on lobbying for the removal of sanctions that did not affect GERB officials.
