U.S. lifts sanctions on former Bulgarian deputy minister

The U.S. State Department has removed former Bulgarian deputy economy minister Alexander Manolev from a sanctions-related designation imposed in 2021, marking one of the first publicly visible cases linked to the Trump administration’s broader review of measures introduced during the Biden presidency.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Manolev had been removed from the list under Section 7031(c), a U.S. visa-restriction mechanism used against foreign officials accused of involvement in significant corruption or serious human rights violations.

“The delisting of this individual did occur,” the spokesperson said in a statement to EUalive’s partner Segabg.com. The State Department added that the Trump administration is “protecting our nation and its citizens by putting American interests first in our visa process” and that all visa applications are assessed individually under U.S. law.

Manolev was designated in June 2021, when Washington announced a major anti-corruption initiative targeting several Bulgarian political and business figures. While prominent Bulgarians including tycoon and MP Delyan Peevski, Vassil Bozhkov and Ilko Zhelyazkov were sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act, Manolev was placed under the separate Section 7031(c) framework, which primarily concerns entry restrictions.

The former deputy economy minister had been regarded as a rising figure within Bulgaria’s GERB party before resigning in 2019 amid controversy surrounding a guesthouse project financed with European funds. The case became one of the most prominent scandals linked to the distribution of EU rural development money in Bulgaria.

Speaking to Bulgarian broadcaster bTV, Manolev said he had received confirmation that all restrictions against him had been lifted.

“I am happy that after winning all cases against me in Bulgaria, this news is now coming from Washington as well. The lies against me lasted for five years. The truth remains forever,” he said.

The decision comes as the Trump administration re-examines a number of sanctions and public designations imposed by its predecessor. Officials involved in the process have argued that some measures deserve reassessment and that sanctions policy should be more closely aligned with U.S. strategic interests.

Although Washington has not publicly explained the reasons behind Manolev’s removal from the list, the case is being viewed as part of a wider review of Biden-era sanctions and visa restrictions.

According to investigative outlet BIRD, lobbying firms working on Manolev’s case have reported approximately $210,000 in expenditures to the U.S. Senate so far, reflecting the scale of efforts aimed at challenging the designation imposed by Washington in 2021.

The development is likely to draw attention in Bulgaria, where questions surrounding corruption, political influence and the rule of law have remained at the centre of public debate for years.

At the same time, Manolev’s name has reappeared in a separate investigation launched by Bulgarian investigative journalists.

BIRD recently announced the publication of documents under its “#CorruptionLeaks” project, which it describes as a large archive of leaked materials including court documents, prosecutorial records, witness statements, telecommunications data and requests for special surveillance measures.

According to BIRD, Manolev is mentioned in documents related to requests and authorisations for the use of special intelligence-gathering methods in 2020 and 2021. The documents reportedly concern an investigation into suspected coordinated criminal activity involving alleged bribery, misuse of public funds from the municipality of Sandanski, influence peddling and abuse of office. The materials also reportedly refer to possible interference in public procurement procedures.

BIRD said the requests originated from Bulgaria’s anti-corruption commission, which at the time was headed by former chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov.

The investigative outlet stressed that the leaked archive contains thousands of documents and that publication and analysis of the material will continue in stages.

The existence of those documents does not alter the fact that the U.S. designation has now been lifted. However, the contrast between Washington’s decision and the emergence of new investigative material is likely to fuel further debate in Bulgaria about accountability, corruption investigations and the role of international sanctions.

Sources: BIRD, Segabg.com, Dnevnik.bg, The Pavlovic Today

Caption: Former Bulgarian deputy economy minister Alexander Manolev/BTA