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JOE BIDEN PHOTO: Reuters
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Leaders from 110 countries, including Bulgaria, gather on Thursday for a virtual meeting
A series of sanctions against people for corruption, serious human rights abuses and undermining democracy will be imposed by the US Treasury Department. Both government and
officials from
different countries and individuals,
and the grounds will be different, including under the Global Magnitsky Act. This will happen at the Democracy Summit convened by US President Joe Biden, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The first of two such meetings will be held virtually on December 9 and 10. Leaders of 110 countries, including Bulgaria, have been invited. The list does not include China and Russia. There are also no guests from Turkey, Hungary, Iran, Libya, Syria, Myanmar and others. Although there is no invitation to Beijing, the State Department’s list includes Taiwan, which almost all countries, including the United States, recognize as part of China, though not under its control.
From the beginning of its mandate, the Biden administration has stated that it will give priority to coordinated international action in order to have the effect of such sanctions, reminds the Wall Street Journal. The publication suggests that the sanctions will include Russian oligarchs, Chinese officials and people in power in Iran, given frequent allegations of corruption in government circles, torture and murder of dissidents. “Democracy does not happen by accident. We need to protect it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it, “Biden said in an invitation to world leaders.
In addition to state leaders, representatives of private business, human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations, the media, and influential names in politics, the arts, culture and sports are invited.
So far
Bulgaria is the country c
which the United States has sanctioned
most people at once
– on June 2 the names of Vasil Bozhkov, Ilko Zhelyazkov and Delyan Peevski were announced.
Biden will try to persuade other countries on Thursday and Friday to be more active in imposing sanctions. Last Thursday, Australia became another country to pass a law in the spirit of the American “Magnitsky”. Other measures to be discussed include protecting media rights and free elections, as well as supporting more women to be leaders in politics.
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