Vazrazhdane party to propose law banning politicians sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act from holding high office

Legislative amendments banning individuals sanctioned under the global Magnitsky law from holding senior government or party positions will likely be submitted to Parliament as early as Thursday by the Vazrazhdane party, MP Petar Petrov told BNR.

'The Global Magnitsky Act targets corruption — the very issue that GERB, DPS, PP-DB and all Euro-Atlantic "metastases" in Parliament claim to be fighting,' party leader Kostadin Kostadinov told reporters. He said that the Vazrazhdane party would table two separate bills: one to amend the Electoral Code, and another to amend the Political Parties Act.

• Washington  sanctions Bulgarian officials, firms for corruption, adding them to Magnitsky list

Mr Kostadinov noted that 'Bulgaria has a political party whose leadership includes a person sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act'. At the same time, he pointed out, the party of another Magnitsky-sanctioned figure — Vasil Bozhkov — was blocked from taking part in the elections, even though Bozhkov himself did not hold a leading position in it.

• The Prosecutor's Office terminated the Magnitsky probe against Delyan Peevski

Among the Bulgarian politicians currently sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act is Delyan Peevski, leader of the DPS – New Beginning party.