The opposition coalition “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB) has submitted a formal report to the prosecutor’s office regarding potential criminal activity linked to DPS-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski (sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act), specifically concerning his alleged acquisition and control of a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel, reportedly owned by Peevski or by proxies acting on his behalf, is not listed in his public asset declarations under Bulgaria’s Anti-Corruption and Forfeiture of Illegally Acquired Property Act (ACFA). WCC-DB argues that this omission raises serious concerns that the property may have been purchased with illicit funds and could constitute money laundering.

The report was prompted by a video and accompanying material published by Bulgarian media Gospodari.com, which claims, based on footage from Dubai, that the hotel is linked to Peevski, who has been sanctioned for corruption by both the United States and the United Kingdom. While the editorial team noted it could not confirm ownership with certainty, WCC-DB considers the media dissemination of this information sufficient grounds under the Criminal Procedure Code to initiate a prosecutor-led review.

WCC-DB emphasizes that this latest claim comes in the context of existing publicly known data on Peevski’s residency and business activity in Dubai, including frequent private jet flights, extensive asset holdings, and real estate connected to him, his family, and affiliated structures. Investigations by BIRD.BG and OCCRP have previously documented substantial property and corporate ties involving Peevski and close relatives, including his mother, Irena Krasteva, who owns a luxury villa in the Emirate Hills neighborhood acquired after 2016. Additional reporting notes a UAE-registered company, TGI Middle East FZE, allegedly controlled by Peevski’s circle, which as of 2017 held real estate valued at hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars, without public declaration in Bulgaria. Registration in a UAE free zone conceals ultimate ownership, further complicating transparency. Peevski himself reportedly holds permanent residency in Dubai, raising questions about his primary center of economic interest and the origin of funds supporting this lifestyle.

WCC-DB stresses that Peevski has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under the Global Magnitsky Act as “an oligarch who has regularly engaged in corruption, using influence peddling and bribery to shield himself from public scrutiny and to exercise control over key institutions and sectors of Bulgarian society.” The United Kingdom has similarly placed him under the Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021, citing reasonable grounds to suspect serious corruption. The coalition asserts that these international sanctions substantiate concern that undeclared property may be linked to illicit proceeds.

According to WCC-DB, the report identifies potential crimes including money laundering; submitting false or incomplete asset declarations; non-payment of taxes on undeclared income and property in particularly large amounts; corruption; and influence trading, if it is proven that the hotel or associated assets were financed via bribery or abuse of official position, as outlined in the U.S. and U.K. sanctions.

The coalition emphasizes that media investigations alone provide a valid legal basis under Bulgarian law for the prosecutor to examine the allegations. WCC-DB calls for a full, rigorous inquiry, including seeking legal assistance from authorities in the UAE, citing European Court of Human Rights precedent which requires comprehensive investigation of serious suspicions of organized crime and corruption. The statement concludes by insisting that all findings must be thoroughly verified to ensure accountability and transparency.