site.btaUS State Department Designates Judge Andon Mitalov Due to Involvement in Significant Corruption

February 5 (BTA) - In a statement published by the US
Embassy here on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
publicly designated judge Andon Mitalov due to involvement in
significant corruption.

"In his official capacity, Mitalov was involved in corrupt acts
that undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the
independence of democratic institutions in Bulgaria," according
to the press release.

This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department
 of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94).  Under Section
7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of
foreign governments for their involvement, directly or
indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and
their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the
 United States.

"This is the first such designation in Bulgaria and reaffirms
the US commitment to combatting corruption in Bulgaria and
globally," the press release says.

Andon Mitalov is a specialized court judge who allowed
Russophiles National Movement leader Nikolai Malinov, who had
been charged with espionage in Bulgaria and banned from leaving
the country, to travel to Moscow to receive the Order of
Friendship from Russian President Vladimir Putin in early
November 2019. Prosecutor General Sotir Tsatsarov subsequently
asked the Inspectorate with the Supreme Judicial Council to
carry a check of Mitalov. RY/PP