site.btaVarna Municipal Election Commission Postpones Decision on Mayor Kotsev’s Removal as Protests Continue

The Municipal Election Commission (MEC) in the coastal city of Varna postponed on Sunday its decision on whether to remove Mayor Blagomir Kotsev from office, opting instead to request additional documents from the Municipality to clarify the periods of his absence. The Commission met to review three complaints alleging prolonged and unjustified absence from the workplace while Kotsev has been held in custody since July.

The meeting took place amid growing political tension over the weekend. On Saturday, Co-Chair of Yes, Bulgaria and MP from the Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) coalition, Ivaylo Mirchev, said he and his party colleagues were surprised by the MEC’s decision to convene an extraordinary Sunday session. Mirchev alleged that the initiative aimed to remove Kotsev, a CC mayor, and trigger snap elections in Varna. He accused GERB leader Boyko Borissov and Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski of orchestrating the effort and called on citizens to gather outside the venue of the meeting.

Also on Saturday, GERB stated that Borissov had instructed the party’s MEC representatives to vote against Kotsev’s dismissal. Borissov said he did not want “victories by default,” and the party emphasized that the meeting had been scheduled in line with deadlines set in the Election Code.

On Sunday, the MEC voted 20–7 to seek additional clarification from the Municipality regarding Kotsev’s absences and the periods when he was formally substituted. MEC Chair Velin Zhekov, nominated by GERB, stressed that the Commission follows legal procedures and judicial practice and must base its final decision soundly so it is not overturned in court. He also noted that the MEC’s composition is permanent and largely professional, despite members being nominated by political parties.

Kotsev’s lawyer, Marin Pantov, argued during the session that the Local Self-Government and Local Administration Act focuses on whether a mayor’s absence is justified, not on the type of leave used. He said Kotsev’s detention could constitute justified absence and emphasized that the law provides for a mayor’s removal only after a final conviction, which Kotsev does not have.

The MEC meeting unfolded as Varna residents once again protested in support of the detained mayor. Demonstrators held signs such as “Varna is not for sale” and “Blago is under arrest because he is mayor,” chanting slogans including “Freedom” and “Mafia out.” A lawyer for Kotsev was present inside the meeting, protesters were told.

Kotsev, elected in November 2023 on the CC-DB ticket, is one of the few opposition mayors in Bulgaria. He was arrested on July 8 following a corruption tip-off from a failed bidder in a municipal procurement process. He has been charged with participating in an organized crime group, abuse of office, bribery, and money laundering. Courts have repeatedly denied his requests for release, citing the risk of interference with the investigation. Kotsev and four other defendants were indicted on November 13 for conspiracy to commit bribery and coercion to obtain economic benefit.

Continue the Change maintains that the arrest is politically motivated and part of a wider campaign targeting opposition representatives. Protests in support of Kotsev have been held in Varna, Sofia, and other major cities. Renew Europe, the group in the European Parliament with which CC is affiliated, described Kotsev’s detention as “an onslaught on democratic institutions and the rule of law in Bulgaria.”

The MEC will make a final decision on Kotsev’s status after receiving and reviewing the requested documentation from the Municipality.