“For the first time, we are identifying individuals from Europe as being at risk of serious corruption,” British Ambassador to Bulgaria Rob Dixon said in an interview with bTV.

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

On 10 February, the UK announced sanctions against oligarch and former MP Delyan Peevski, former national security official Ilko Zhelyazkov and oligarch Vasil Bozhkov, living in Dubai. Ambassador Dixon pointed out that the sanctions imposed by the UK were in agreement with their US partners.

“For a very long time, property and assets have been stolen from the Bulgarian people,” Ambassador Dixon said. “The first victims of corruption in Bulgaria are Bulgarian citizens who see their hard-earned assets, funds and resources disappear into the hands of a corrupt minority. Corruption affects the functioning of institutions, public trust and opens the door to interference by hostile states,” Ambassador Dixon added.