site.btaVarna Residents Hold Tenth Protest Over Mayor's Detention

Varna residents staged a protest on Monday for the tenth time against the detention of Mayor Blagomir Kotsev and municipal councillors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliev. Demonstrators marched through the city centre, displaying slogans and signs on the courthouse building.

National Assembly Deputy Chair and Democratic Bulgaria leader Atanas Atanassov attended the protest, noting that he has consistently joined his supporters in Varna to draw attention to the existence of political prisoners in modern democratic Bulgaria. He described this situation as unacceptable, asserted that there is no evidence against Kotsev, and characterized the detention as a repressive action targeting the broader community.

Atanassov expressed confidence that the citizens of Varna and Bulgaria who support democratic principles would persist in their efforts to halt these repressive actions. He indicated that he was well-informed and aware that the files contained no incriminating evidence against the mayor.

Atanassov noted that pre-trial detention serves as a preventive measure to facilitate the investigation and is not intended as punishment. It can be imposed only if there is a risk that the individual may abscond or commit another offense.

Blagomir Kotsev, who won the mayor's office in Varna on the ticket of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria was detained late on the night of July 8 following a tipoff for corruption by a failed public procurement tenderer. On the same date, the prosecuting magistracy announced that the Anti-Corruption Commission had launched an operation in Varna under the supervision of the Sofia City Prosecution Office (SCPO). The following day, the SCPO confirmed that four individuals had been charged and detained for 72 hours in connection with a corruption investigation in Varna. Along with municipal councillors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov, Kotsev has been charged with participation in an organized criminal group. The group is accused of engaging in coordinated criminal activities including abuse of office, bribery, and money laundering. The organization, allegedly formed for personal gain, includes public officials. Kotsev, Kateliev, and Stefanov are also charged with attempting to extort a sum equivalent to 15% excluding VAT of 1,523,446 BGN, of the value of a public procurement contract for the delivery of ready meals to schools and kindergartens.

On May 5, former deputy mayor Dian Ivanov, once regarded as Kotsev’s “right-hand man”, abruptly resigned from his post, citing “health reasons”. Following his departure from Varna’s municipal leadership, Ivanov became a witness for the Anti-Corruption Commission. In his testimony, he reportedly said that Mayor Kotsev instructed him to participate in the extortion of businesswoman Plamenka Dimitrova, the owner of a catering company. However, Ivanov later recanted his testimony announcing that he had given it under pressure from the Anti-Corruption Commission.

On July 17, the Sofia Appellate Court upheld a ruling of a lower instance court and left Kotsev along with municipal councillors Stefanov and Kateliev in custody on charges of corruption. Regarding the case of Nikolov, who had publicly claimed that his testimony was given under pressure, Prosecutor Kalin Bliznakov remarked that until Nikolov is questioned further, his statements remain as valid evidence in the investigation.

On August 29, Varna Deputy Mayor for Finance and Budget Hristo Rafailov has been dismissed from his position, the Varna Municipality said in a press release but did not specify the reasons for his dismissal. As Deputy Mayor, Rafailov was among the possible candidates to take over as acting mayor during Mayor Blagomir Kotsev’s detention - currently the position is held by Pavel Popov but Kotsev's order for his appointment will be valid until August 31. Popov's appointment was challenged by the Municipal Council Chair, but was upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court.

Kotsev's arrest triggered large-scale protests in Varna, Sofia and other major cities. The arrest also caused an outrage and accusations of political repressions. The Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, of which Continue Change is a part, condemned the growing attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law in Bulgaria, of which they believe the Varna Mayor's arrest is an illustration. The President of the ALDE Party and Member of the European Parliament, Svenja Hahn, wrote a letter to European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, raising alarm over what she describes as a "systematic campaign of political pressure" against the Bulgarian opposition party Continue the Change.

On September 12, the Sofia City Court denied Kotsev’s request to modify his detention order and ordered that he remain in custody. The Sofia Court of Appeal was scheduled to rule on September 18, but the judges recused themselves. 

Meanwhile, members of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria in Varna asserted that Kotsev was being held in custody due to his position as mayor and would be released only if he resigned.

Several protests have taken place in Varna against Kotsev’s detention, most recently on September 17.

The Sofia Court of Appeal is scheduled to review Kotsev’s detention measure on Tuesday.