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US Blacklists Bulgarian Judge Over Alleged Involvement In 'Significant'
Corruption

RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service

   The United States has imposed sanctions ona Bulgarian judge who the
   State Department says is involved in "significant" corruption in the
   Balkan country.

   U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saidWednesdayin a statement that he
   was blacklisting Specialized Criminal Court Judge AndonMitalovbecause
   ofhis involvement in "corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and
   severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in
   Bulgaria."

   The statement added thatMitalov'swife, KorneliaStoykova-Mitalova, and
   his daughter, Gergana Mitalova, were also given "special designation"
   status, which bars them from entering the United States.

   Ex-lawmaker's awardfrom Putin

   Mitalovraised the ire of many within and outside Bulgaria when he
   allowed Nikolai Malinov, a former Bulgarian lawmaker who is charged
   with spying for Russia, to visit Moscow,where he received an award from
   President Vladimir Putin.

   "This is the first such designation in Bulgaria and reaffirms the U.S.
   commitment to combating corruption in Bulgaria and globally," Pompeo
   said in the statement. "The United States continues to stand with the
   people of Bulgaria in their fight against corruption. The State
   Department will use these authorities to promote accountability for
   corrupt actors in this region and globally."

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