Ambassador Jim O'Brien, Head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination at the US Department of State who made the announcement of the new names of Bulgarian citizens added to the Magnitsky list, is arriving in Sofia on 13 February, Justice Minister in the caretaker cabinet Krum Zarkov announced on Nova TV. He stated he expected more names of Bulgarian citizens to be added to the sanctions list.

• US sanctions Bulgarian officials, firms for corruption, adding them to Magnitsky list

Vice President Iliana Iotova made a statement to the same effect. At a forum of the National Office for Legal Assistance she stated that there are signs more names will be added to this list, adding that this was proof that the country has not done its job.

Vice President Iotova said further she feared the new parliament would not be able to form a government either. “2-in-1 elections would be the worst thing for Bulgaria. It would mean vitiating the local election, and for the time being it remains the only stable branch, after that of the president,” Iliana Iotova said.