US ready to sanction Bulgarian politicians for corruption says new ambassador

US ready to sanction Bulgarian politicians for corruption says new ambassador
By bne IntelliNews November 30, 2019

The US would sanction Bulgarian politicians if it has a trustworthy information that they have been involved in significant corruption, Herro Mustafa, the new US ambassador to Bulgaria, said on November 29.

In a speech held at a meeting of the Atlantic Club in Sofia, Mustafa said that strengthening democracy and the rule of law is among her top priorities during her three-year mandate.

“Aided by our new resident legal advisor who arrives in Sofia in just a few days, I plan to work with both government and civil society to strengthen the primacy of the law, foster judicial independence, and tackle corruption. We plan to take a multifaceted approach to this task, including the use of tools that have teeth,” Mustafa said.

She added that among the tools is US legislation that allows implementation of visa bans on foreign officials and their immediate family members who have engaged in significant corruption.

“Such tough measures will benefit Bulgaria in the long term as a firm adherence to the rule of law is inextricably tied to Bulgaria’s political and economic prowess,” Mustafa said.

Her speech came days after a new chief prosecutor was appointed following a highly controversial election procedure and despite numerous protests in the country.

Mustafa also pointed out that Bulgaria should work to secure media freedom.

The country has been singled out as having the least free media in the EU and in the Balkans, ranking 111th in the world press freedom index from Reporters Without Borders.

“The US will continue to support Bulgarian civil society, promote a free and transparent media space, and highlight the importance of protecting human rights. In striving for progress in the rule of law sphere, I very much cherish the partnership between the Embassy and nongovernmental organizations that devote their efforts to develop Bulgaria’s human capital, promote justice reform, and contribute to Bulgaria’s ongoing success and private business sector development,” Mustafa said.

Read in IntelliNews Pro
Get IntelliNews Pro

Related Content

International banking groups mull expansion in CEE region

Western brands’ adverts fund Russian disinformation in Southeast Europe

Lukoil mulls sale of Bulgarian refinery, petrol stations

News

Slovakia’s new government approves dismantling of Special Prosecutor Office

European Commission warns cabinet to wait before going ahead with controversial changes in the legal system.

International banking groups mull expansion in CEE region

Half of the cross-border banking groups active in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe say they want to “selectively expand” in the region, shows the latest EIB survey.

North Macedonia seeks extradition of far-right politician in double murder case

All the suspects for the brutal murders of a 14-year-old girl and a 74-year-old man are members of the extremist, pro-Russia Desna party.

Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s “Man City”, blitz league in debut season

Backed by the regime, new club signed most of their rivals’ best players and won all of their matches in march to title helped along by some most fortunate refereeing.

Moscow sees most snowfall in one day since records began

Moscow experienced an unprecedented snowfall on December 3, setting a record as the heaviest in the city's 145-year history of weather observations.

Slovakia’s new government approves dismantling of Special Prosecutor Office
23 hours ago
International banking groups mull expansion in CEE region
1 day ago
North Macedonia seeks extradition of far-right politician in double murder case
1 day ago
Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s “Man City”, blitz league in debut season
1 day ago
Moscow sees most snowfall in one day since records began
1 day ago

Follow Us On

Most Read

  1. LONG READ: The boomerang effect: sanctions hurt Europe more than Russia
    6 days ago
  2. Putin's approval rating up to 85% in November, Russians happy with the country's direction
    4 days ago
  3. Oil continues to flow to Israel via Turkey despite Erdogan’s vehement speeches on plight of Gaza
    1 month ago
  4. Top Ukrainian politician David Arakhamia gives seventh confirmation of Russia-Ukraine peace deal agreed in March 2022
    11 days ago
  5. Former Kazakh leader Nazarbayev confesses to polygamy with Miss Kazakhstan 1999
    2 days ago
  1. Oil continues to flow to Israel via Turkey despite Erdogan’s vehement speeches on plight of Gaza
    1 month ago
  2. Top Ukrainian politician David Arakhamia gives seventh confirmation of Russia-Ukraine peace deal agreed in March 2022
    11 days ago
  3. Russia overtakes Germany to become fifth biggest economy in the world in GDP on a PPP basis
    4 months ago
  4. Armenia marks new era with French military purchases
    10 days ago
  5. Lavrov confirms Ukraine war peace deal reached last April, but then abandoned
    2 months ago

Reports

SELECT `n`.`nid` AS `id`, `n`.`title`, 'bne IntelliNews' AS authors, 'bne IntelliNews' AS bylines, `wc`.`field_website_callout_value` AS `summary`, `smc`.`field_social_media_callout_value` AS `social`, `pd`.`published_at` AS `date`, `p`.`field_publication__tid` AS `publication_id`, `fm`.`uri` AS `image`, `fspcaption`.`field_story_photo_caption_value` AS `image_credit`, `fspcredit`.`field_story_photo_credit_value` AS `image_author`, `ws`.`field_website_sections_tid` AS `section_id`, `fdfs`.`field_subject_tid` AS `subject_id`, `db`.`body_value` AS `body`, `fm2`.`uri` AS `pdf`, `et`.`field_enable_tracking_value` AS `tracking`, `ht`.`field_head_tags_value` AS `headTags`, `bt`.`field_body_tags_value` AS `bodyTags` FROM `node` AS `n` LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_website_callout` AS `wc` ON wc.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_social_media_callout` AS `smc` ON smc.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `publication_date` AS `pd` ON pd.nid = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_publication_` AS `p` ON p.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_picture` AS `sp` ON sp.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `file_managed` AS `fm` ON fm.fid = sp.field_story_picture_fid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_photo_caption` AS `fspcaption` ON fspcaption.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_photo_credit` AS `fspcredit` ON fspcredit.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `workflow_node` AS `wn` ON wn.nid = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_website_sections` AS `ws` ON ws.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_subject` AS `fdfs` ON fdfs.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_body` AS `db` ON db.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_file` AS `ff` ON ff.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `file_managed` AS `fm2` ON fm2.fid = ff.field_file_fid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_enable_tracking` AS `et` ON et.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_head_tags` AS `ht` ON ht.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_body_tags` AS `bt` ON bt.entity_id = n.nid WHERE (n.status = 1) AND (n.type = 'article') AND (n.nid = 172566) AND (wn.sid= 3) AND (p.field_publication__tid IN (2465,2851,3184,3159,3266,3264,3270,3265,3267,3268,3269,3171,3168,3185,3170,1346,1345,3180,3175,3254,3249,1207,1208,3181,3231,3177,3186,3178,1003,3187,2975,3204,3198,3188,3202,3196,3250,3189,3160,3161,3312,3313,3173,3314,3315,3167,3259,3257,3263,3258,3260,3261,3262,3174,3316,3165,3192,3163,3282,3190,2811,3256,3317,3162,3318,3191,3297,3182,3179,3166,3319,3376,3320,3172,3255,3169,1008,3203,3197,3321,3252,3164,1307,3322,3183,3220,3176,3201,3323,1327,1020,1006,1009,1013,1014,1018,1005,1328,1010,1011,1002,1012,1311,1330,1017,1016,1019,1004,1001,1334,1335,1336,1015,1337,1338,1339,1340,1341,2496,2501,2517,2529,2506,2505,2524,2513,2526,2537,2489,2490,2520,2536,2488,2532,2500,2515,2503,2493,2527,2523,2510,2525,2498,2499,2528,2507,2487,2511,2521,2502,2491,2519,2497,2492,2514,2495,2509,2512,1629,3358)) LIMIT 1
Dismiss