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European Parliament Building Photo: Pixabay
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Lawyers expect a relatively quick response, as Brussels’ position is that the application of US sanctions under the Magnitsky Act has nothing to do with the countries of our continent.
Sources at 24 Chasa in Brussels have confirmed that the European Parliament is already working to assess the compliance of the caretaker government’s “blacklist” of persons associated with Magnitsky’s sanctions with European law.
The reason is complaints from those affected by the actions of the Yanev cabinet. Businessman Vasil Bozhkov was the first to announce that he had done so.
On June 4, a working group from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Interior, the State Agency for National Security and the National Revenue Agency published an extended list of Bulgarian individuals and legal entities with which state-owned companies and departments must suspend their contacts. In addition, Prime Minister Stefan Yanev encouraged private entities, including banks, to refrain from dealing with blacklisted people.
Leading lawyers have warned that such a restriction of citizens’ rights, without them being convicted, without the right to a defense and without a legal framework, is in sharp conflict with European law. Bulgarian constitutionalists have gone further in their criticism, describing such actions as “administrative arbitrariness.”
In addition to the European Parliament, lawyers unofficially confirmed to 24 Chasa that similar complaints had been lodged with the European Commission, Bulgarian MEPs and members of the European Parliament’s subcommittee on human rights.
A relatively quick reaction from these institutions is expected, as Brussels’ position is that the application of US sanctions under the Magnitsky Act has nothing to do with the community.
Moreover, by its actions the caretaker government is setting a dangerous precedent and violating an existing explicit regulation of the European Union, which prohibits the application of the sanction legislation of a third country on the territory of the EU member states.
That is why some Bulgarian lawyers are skeptical that we will create a valid Bulgarian law “Magnitsky”
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