In recent years, we have had an interesting convergence between national authorities, business interests and global geopolitical influences on the Bulgarian political scene. There are also few figures who symbolize this better than Boyko Borisov, Vladislav Goranov and Delyan Peevski. Why are we talking about them, because they are united by one thing - sanctions under the “Magnitsky“. Without Borisov, of course. But!
Boyko Borisov, with all the weight of his political past, continues to try to remain a central figure in government. His style is often associated with the direct connection between power, finance and influence. And in this context, Goranov's role as Finance Minister (in different mandates) is key, because it is precisely financial policies, the budget and control mechanisms that are the areas through which powerful interests are pushed, but not only.
Vladislav Goranov was sanctioned in 2023 on the grounds that he used his position “to assist in the bribery of Bulgarian state officials and deprive the Bulgarian state of tax revenues in favor of Bulgarian oligarchs“. Goranov then denied the charges and said that the American side was “misled“. This happened, of course, at the time of the arrest of the major businessman Vasil Bozhkov (ed. – also included in the “Magnitsky“ list).
When there is talk of sanctions, referring to the “Magnitsky“ law, concerns immediately arise: who will be hit, who will be caught.
Sanctions under the “Magnitsky“ law are an instrument of international pressure, which is activated when The mechanisms of justice and the rule of law are systematically violated. The application of such sanctions in Bulgaria against high-level individuals is not just a legal step, but a signal to the international community that the country is being monitored and controlled.
After the American newspaper "Wall Street Journal" published that GERB leader Boyko Borisov had talked to Donald Trump Jr. about selling a stake in "Turkish Stream" and about weakening the "Magnitsky" sanctions, Borisov himself later admitted to part of the information in the article. Borisov directly indicated that he had "promoted" the Bulgarian section of "Turkish Stream" to Trump Jr., and also told him in detail about the sanctions imposed on his former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov under the global "Magnitsky" act. Borisov denied having spoken to Trump Jr. about the sanctions under "Magnitsky" by Delyan Peevski. Borisov also rejected the claims in the American publication's article that he was looking for an American investor for the "Lukoil" refinery in Bulgaria.
"But, of course, I will tell you how the man (Vladislav Goranov - b.a.) who brought us into the European banking union, into the eurozone, they called him "Magnitsky". I told him, of course,", Borisov said.
When asked whether Peevski's sanctions under “Magnitsky” were in question, he said: "No, categorically not. I have no context in which to call Peevski's name.“
When Borisov really hurts
The leader of GERB and former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has a big back. He still says so. And that many people climb on it, but his back was also slippery... They fell a lot. When Borisov was arrested, during the reign of Kiril Petkov, it hurt him. Not that he would sleep on a pomegranate with a vomited blanket, but that Sevda Shishmanova and Vladislav Goranov were also arrested. The court later ruled that the arrest was illegal (ed. - and nothing was found), but then Borisov really hurt him - for Shishmanova and Goranov. Why for them? Both of them are close to him - she was a party lobbyist, he was the finance minister. Both of them are trusted people. Because in politics, one person cannot do it alone. He needs trusted people. You will become a minister, then we will arrange this, we will do that - it will be worth it, you will see. There were certainly such promises. And then an arrest... Well, we did not talk about an arrest. And about sanctions on “Magnitsky“ we haven't talked.
And when there is an arrest and sanctions that reflect on others, Borisov suffers. If it were him, ha, the past is gone. What has he not been through. But when others suffer, and Borisov has no power to fix things, it hurts him. That is why Borisov raised with Donald Trump Jr. the issue of sanctions under the global “Magnitsky” law, imposed by the US on his party colleague and former Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov. Borisov suffers pain, but it hurts him even more when people around him suffer, and he can do nothing. Does this also apply to Goranov…