translation of официоз

[Beata Lozinski]

Dear Seelanger's,

Could anyone help with translating the terms официоз/официозный into
English?  I've looked these terms up in several dictionaries and the
definition I keep getting is semi-official, yet there seems to be more to
the meaning than what the dictionaries are providing.  Could anyone help in
clarifying the concept of these terms and what an appropriate translation
might be in English?

Thanks,
Beata Lozinski

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