Vladimirova

MEMORANDUM **

Petitioner Marian Georgiev Tonchev Vladimirova, an ethnic Macedonian citizen *591 of Bulgaria, appeals an order from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) denying his application for Political Asylum and Withholding of Removal and ordering his removal from the United States. 1 The BIA affirmed without opinion a decision of an immigration judge (IJ) denying his application for relief. Tonchev argues that he has demonstrated evidence sufficient to receive asylum and withholding of removal based on past persecution alone. He also argues that the IJ erred in failing to articulate cogent and specific reasons for finding his testimony non-credible. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 (a), and we deny the petition for review.

We review the IJ’s decision, because the BIA adopted it as its own. Osorio v. INS, 99 F.3d 928, 931 (9th Cir.1996). We review Tonchev’s petition under the substantial evidence standard, and may overturn the IJ’s decision to deny Tonchev’s application for asylum and withholding of removal only if there is evidence in the record “so compelling that no reasonable factfinder could fail to find the requisite fear of persecution.” INS v.…