US May Pursue Magnitsky Sanctions Evasion Cases, Bulgaria's Interior Minister Says - Novinite. com - EUROPE SAYS
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said discussions with officials from the US Department of Justice focused on the possibility of launching federal prosecutions against individuals accused of circumventing. . .
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said discussions with officials from the US Department of Justice focused on the possibility of launching federal prosecutions against individuals accused of circumventing sanctions imposed under the Global Magnitsky Act, as well as those suspected of helping sanctioned individuals avoid the restrictions. According to Demerdzhiev, the meetings included a deputy attorney general and prosecutors specializing in cases involving sanctions evasion. The talks examined the legal grounds for potential prosecutions, the types of evidence that could support such cases, and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. “We discussed the possibilities of initiating federal prosecution, the grounds for this, the evidence that can serve for this, we created a channel of communication, and we also established personal contacts between our representatives and representatives of the federal prosecutor’s office,” Demerdzhiev said. The minister expressed confidence that the cooperation would soon produce tangible results. His comments followed a visit to the United States last week, during which he also provided information concerning alleged attempts to bypass Magnitsky sanctions to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) at the US Treasury Department. Demerdzhiev’s trip took place at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the visit, he met with Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas DiNano and Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Todd Wilcox. Beyond sanctions enforcement, the discussions covered broader security cooperation between Bulgaria and the United States. Demerdzhiev said the two sides explored opportunities for Bulgaria to participate in US assistance programs aimed at strengthening border security and border management. “Many other countries benefit from these programs. Bulgaria has not shown interest until now,” Demerdzhiev quoted DiNano as saying, adding that Sofia has now expressed a clear willingness to join such initiatives and deepen bilateral cooperation. The proposed partnership would include the exchange of expertise, best practices, technical solutions, as well as joint training exercises and coordinated operations. Particular attention was given to securing Bulgaria’s land border with Turkey, protecting ports and strengthening maritime security, which Demerdzhiev described as increasingly important because of the security challenges arising from the war in Ukraine. The meetings also addressed cooperation in combating terrorism, human trafficking, arms smuggling and drug trafficking. According to the interior minister, the dialogue between the two countries will continue when the US officials are expected to visit Bulgaria in September.