Delyan Peevski

Delyan Slavchev Peevski (Делян Славчев Пеевски ) is a Bulgarian politician, oligarch,   sanctioned by Magnitsky Act by UK and US for corruption, bribery and embezzlement also a former media mogul who has served as a Member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria since 2009. A member of the DPS party, he was elected for a short time in 2013 as the Director of the State Agency for National Security, which triggered long lasting national protests. Peevski was also unanimously elected in 2024 as the co-leader of the DPS party alongside Dzhevdet Chakarov.

In June 2021 the United States Department of the Treasury designated Peevski, the public official Ilko Zhelyazkov and the Bulgarian oligarch Vasil Bozhkov, along with 64 entities owned and controlled by Bozhkov and Peevski, for their roles in public corruption, pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Simultaneously, UK also sanctioned several high-profile Bulgarian figures, including Peevski, under the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations from 2021. Since these sanctions, Peevski has worked closely with representatives of Ukraine to reduce Russia's influence in the energy sector in an attempt to launder his way out of the Magnitsky Act.

Education
Peevski graduated from 119 SOU in Sofia in 1998 and completed his legal studies at the South-West University in 2003. His university diploma is a subject of a dispute for authenticity.

Political career
In 2001, Peevski joined the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII). In 2007, he was fired as a deputy minister during the Socialist-led government in a corruption scandal. He was investigated, but the investigation was dropped and he was given his job back.

In June 2013, Peevski was elected President of the State Agency for National Security, with the votes of 116 MPs. Thousands of Bulgarians gathered in front of government headquarters in Sofia to protest against the surprising appointment, chanting "Mafia" and "resign." Under the pressure of the protests against the Oresharski cabinet that followed, Parliament unanimously revised its decision later the same month. After a couple of months of lack of clarity whether under these conditions Peevski was still considered an MP or not, eventually in December 2013 the Constitutional Court decided that he still was an MP.

In May 2014, Peevski was elected to the European Parliament on the MRF ticket, but immediately thereafter decided to give up his seat. He explained that his motivation to participate in the European elections, while not taking his seat, had been to restore his reputation.

In mid June 2014, three people were arrested due to their involvement in an alleged murder plot against Peevski, but they were eventually released because of a lack of sufficient evidence.

According to Radio Free Europe "Peevski is a notorious embodiment of the collusion between media, politicians, and oligarchs". Since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, Peevski has become a staunch supporter of Bulgaria's humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine. In 2023 and 2024, Peevski repeatedly accused the government of unnecessarily prolonging the imports of Russian oil in Bulgaria, instead of banning them in line with other EU countries.

Parliamentary activity
As a member of the Bulgarian National Assembly he moved together with another two MPs from the parliamentary group of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - Yordan Tsonev and Hamid Hamid, amendments to the Bank Insolvency Act. The amendments, which are related to Corpbank (KTB), were conclusively adopted in February 2018, Bulgarian News Agency reported. According to the movers' reasons, the idea of the amendments is to establish an effective mechanism for replenishing a bankrupt bank's bankruptcy estate and to suppress schemes for plundering assets purchased directly or indirectly on money originating from such a bank.

The president of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev has put a veto on the amendments. His veto was later overturned by the MPs and the amendments were conclusively adopted by the Parliament on 7 March 2018.

Those were second amendments, filed by Peevski and his colleagues from the Parliamentary group of MRF, with reference to the so-called "KTB case" and unveiling the truth about the embezzlement of the bank by its majority shareholder Tzvetan Vassilev. In 2016 the MP together with two more members of the same parliamentary group - Yordan Tzonev and the former minister of finances Peter Chobanov, moved urgent amendment to the Bank Insolvency Act in order to allow the publicizing of the report of AlixPartners Services UK LLP, which was contracted to trace and take action for the preservation and recovery of the assets of the failed Corporate Commercial Bank (KTB), Bulgarian News Agency reported. After the amendments were adopted, the report was translated in Bulgarian and published in May 2016. According to the document, the audit confirmed that the bank functioned as a financial pyramid and was siphoned off through large loans to companies related to the majority shareholder Tzvetan Vassilev. More than half of the loans at the value of 2,5 billion BGN were given to companies related to Vassilev. The report also shows that the majority shareholder also used the bank for "personal transactions".

On 4 July 2018 the National Assembly approved in principle other amendments, moved by Peevski and his colleagues Yordan Tzonev, Hamid Hamid and Velislava Krusteva, Bulgarian News Agency reported. The new bill is on the disclosure of real owners and financing of media organizations. Authors stated that the amendments aim to bring full transparency on the media sector now having problems with online media outlets, whose owners and financing are unknown. And to show whether or not this is a monopolist market. Yet, the opponents of the amendments stated that the bill attacks Delyan Peevski's rivals because it requires disclosure of all sources of financing of media organizations other than the proceeds from advertising and bank loans. The opponents of the bill state that "it is aimed against the opposition-minded news media, which use financing from non-government organizations and foreign grants". The day after bill's approval, Peevski, Hamid, Tzonev and Krusteva moved additional amendments requiring disclosure of bank loans and advertising incomes as well in order to meet the expectations of society. Yet the bill is still under attacks by its opponents.

Peevski was said to have the lowest attendance in the 44th National Assembly. He has appeared in only one plenary session, according to data from December 2017. Yet he is among the most active PMs in the 49th National Assembly with regular attendance of the parliamentary sessions and 6 bills filed in the first 5 months.

Activity in the 49th National Assembly
The legislative efforts of the MP within the 49th National Assembly are focused mainly on the judicial reform, Bulgaria's support for Ukraine and enforcement of the EU sanctions against Russia. Delyan Peevski was among the 166 MPs who filed amendments to the Constitution of Bulgaria on 28 July 2023. The draft law was submitted by members of the parliamentary groups of "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria", GERB-UDF and the opposition Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). Peevski along with the Movement of Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Chairman Mustafa Karadayi and four other MPs from the opposition MRF filed in July 2023 a bill to amend and supplement the Investment Promotion Act. The draft legislation sets up a mechanism for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2019/452 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investments into the Union. The bill is particularly important, considering that the malicious (mainly Russian) corrosive capital tends to increase on a global scale especially in the context of the unprovoked Russian military invasion in Ukraine, the reasons point out.

Furthermore, Peevski was among the MPs who signed and filed a bill, allowing the state to terminate the concession of the Port of Rosenetz, held by the Russian owned company Lukoil Neftohim. He also filed along with other MPs from MRF, GERB and PP-DB a second bill, which aims to end the derogation from the EU sanctions, allowing Bulgaria to continue importing Russian crude oil. Peevski has criticised PPDB for their decision to not support the immediate cessation of the derogation of the Rosenets Refinery to Lukoil in October and November 2023, even going as far as to characterise them as "Pro-Putin" parties.

On 6 July 2023, in extension to MRF's support for Ukraine, the party's chairman Mustafa Karadayi, Delyan Peevski, deputy chair of the 49th National Assembly Filiz Hyusmenova and deputy chairman of the Movement Yordan Tsonev met with Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelensky, who visited Bulgaria.

On 16 October 2023 he became co-chair of the Parliamentary group of DPS.

Peevski criticised the response of PM Nikolay Denkov to the onset of snow storms and extreme weather in late November, 2023, claiming that the PM must "leave his warm and cushy office and go help people in need". Responding to the Denkov's statement that if he wishes to help the people he should "go outside with a shovel instead", Peevski claimed that Denkov had shown himself incapable of fulfiling the role of Prime Minister and declared his willingness to serve as Prime Minister "for at least a month".

On the 30th of November, during a debate about the appointment of the Vice-Chief of the National Health Insurance Fund, Peevski and PP co-leader Kiril Petkov engaged in an aggressive argument at the front-bench, which allegedly included the use of vulgar language.

During a debate around the proposed Constitutional Amendments, Peevski, among with other DPS MPs engaged in a scuffle with MPs from the Vazrazhdane Parliamentary Group, who were attempting to cut the audio system within the parliament in order to disrupt the debate.

Peevski voted in favour of the proposed Constitutional Amendments in all their readings, stating upon the conclusion of the process on December 22, 2023, that Bulgaria has now "truly become a parliamentary republic" in reference to the decreased powers of the presidency.

On the 28th of December, Peevski submitted an official complaint to the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutors Office due to the release of footage from the center of Sofia by a Russia-1 film crew, despite an official ban on the news station within the territory of the European Union.

In late January, 2024, Peevski engaged in a number of arguments with incumbent President Rumen Radev, calling on Radev to resign if he wishes to engage in active politics and alleging that the President was engaged in corrupt activities.

Leadership within DPS
On the 7th of November, after a period of public absence, DPS Chairman Mustafa Karadaya announced his intention to resign, leaving Honorary President Ahmed Dogan the Acting Leader. The resignation of Karadaya left Peevski as the sole Chair of the DPS Parliamentary Group in the Bulgarian Parliament.

During an emergency meeting of the Central Council of DPS on the 17th of November, chaired by Peevski, he officially announced his intention to run for the position of chairman of the party. During the meeting, Honorary President and Acting Chairman Dogan characterised Delyan Peevski as a "phenomenon of Bulgarian politics" and praised his skills as a political leader. Shortly thereafter, 10 of the 28 Regional Councils of DPS officially endorsed Peevski's candidacy for chairman of the party. By the end of November, 2023, 22 party organizations out of 28 had endorsed Peevski.

On the 26th of November, Peevski attended a conference of the DPS Youth Wing, and gave a short speech in which he promised to support and coordinate with them if he was to be elected chairman.

On the 26th of December, Peevski attended the commemorative rally for the youngest victim of the "Revival Process", being the most senior DPS figure to attend it that year.

On the 3rd of January, 2024 to commemorate the founding of DPS, Honorary President Ahmed Dogan published an address to the party membership, in which he nominated Delyan Peevski to serve as co-chairman with experienced DPS MP and ex-Minister Dzhevdet Chakarov- with Chakarov being responsible for the international standing of the party and its "traditional regions", while Peevski would be responsible for parliamentary activity and expanding the electorate of the party. The move by Dogan was seen by analysts as a response to internal opposition to Peevski's candidacy due to him being the first non-ethnically Turkish candidate for partisan leadership, as well as the potential implications of the election of Peevski in regards to DPS relations with Turkey and EU institutions.

Delyan Peevski similarly published an open letter to the DPS membership, in which he outlined his own motivation to "restore a connection with the people and the political class" and underlined his commitment to the "mission" of DPS.

On the 30th of January, 2024, Peevski, together with Chakarov, met the foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, which was seen as a sign of approval of the new DPS leadership by the Turkish government.

During the National Forum of DPS, Peevski was elected as co-leader together with Dzhevdet Chakarov.

Media and business empire
As of 2013, Peevski's media empire controlled six of the 12 largest circulating newspapers. It also had a monopoly on newspaper distribution and digital TV channels. By 2016, according to Radio Bulgaria, the number of newspapers he owned increased to more than 20. According to Reporters Without Borders, his media group consisting of 6 newspapers, "New Bulgarian Media Group" controls nearly 80% of print media distribution. Peevskiis said to control or influence many other local media and websites, that he does not officially own.

In 2016, Peevski also owned several construction companies and was the owner of Bulgartabac, the biggest manufacturer and seller of tobacco and related products. “The Turkish Financial Crime Investigation Board (MASAK) and the Turkish Ministry of Customs and Trade on their part accused Bulgartabac of being one of the biggest cigarette-smuggling entities in Turkey and of being closely allied to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the PKK, which is on the European list of terrorist organizations,” according to Radio Bulgaria.

In early 2016, Peevski published a letter to the media where he said he would no longer start any new business projects in Bulgaria. He said his decision was due to an "ongoing 'smear' campaign" and political pressure.

In an analysis, Radio Bulgaria said it was difficult to pinpoint why Peevski was downsizing his business empire. However, they wrote: "'Still, some analysts say there is a connection between the shocks tearing across the Peevski conglomerate and the bankruptcy, two years ago, of the Corporate Commercial Bank with majority owner, Peevski's own former business partner and friend Tsvetan Vasilev. There is ample evidence that it was precisely the crediting from that bank that helped Delyan Peevski build his media empire, stone by stone, an empire that has been putting out tentacles into many other economic sectors and spheres. But the cheap (free?) financing is now gone and the media market is not particularly lucrative.'"

On 27 January 2021 Delyan Peevski sold the media he owned to the leading provider of telecommunications services and media in Southeastern Europe United Group.

Controversy and sanctions
Peevski has been accused of influence peddling and attacks against business competitors in a Reporters Without Borders report.

This controversy was the rationale for imposing sanctions. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Peevski since 2 June 2021, pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. Sanctions imposed through EO 13818 include a freezing of assets under the US and a ban on transactions with any US person. The U.S. Department of the Treasury wrote: "'Delyan Slavchev Peevski (Peevski) is an oligarch who previously served as a Bulgarian MP and media mogul and has regularly engaged in corruption, using influence peddling and bribes to protect himself from public scrutiny and exert control over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society. '"

In August 2021 it was reported that Delyan Peevski has filed a request before the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to remove the sanctions. He is represented by the US law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.

In February 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom issued sanctions to several high-profile Bulgarian figures, amongst which Peevski.

Since these sanctions took effect, Peevski has taken an active stance against Russian business interests in Bulgaria, in particular against Lukoil. Peevski has also become the most significant supporter of legislation favoring exports of ammunition and energy to Ukraine. In January 2024, he participated in a much-publicized call with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Since that time Peevski has met the European Union ambassadors to vouch full support for Ukraine in all parliamentary maters.