site.btaVarna Municipal Councilor Nikolay Stefanov's Defence to Request Termination of Pretrial Investigation against Him

Varna Municipal Councilor Nikolay Stefanov's defence will request the termination of the pretrial investigation against him, lawyer Dilyana Agova said on Tuesday before a preliminary hearing in the Anti-Corruption Commission, where case materials related to the charges were presented.

"I believe that, at this point, this is the only possible conclusion for the prosecution service as well. No evidence has been gathered to substantiate the charge, and in my view the only possible course of action is to terminate the current proceedings," she added.

Varna municipal councillors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov have been charged with soliciting a bribe together with Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. "The law states that when there is insufficient evidence, the proceedings should be terminated. At present, there is none," Agova added.

Asked by reporters whether there was a possibility of Stefanov’s term as municipal councillor being terminated early, Agova replied that "this has not happened at this stage."

"Today, in addition to seeking the termination of the investigation, I will ask the prosecution to rule on his restraining measure, which is currently ‘house arrest’," she said. According to the lawyer, at this point there are no grounds for imposing such a measure. "I believe that Nikolay Stefanov should be released without any restraining measure, even if the proceedings are not terminated," Agova stated.

Earlier on Tuesday, lawyer Ivaylo Kostov said he will request the termination of the pretrial investigation of Varna Municipal Councilor Yordan Kateliev. 

Kotsev was elected mayor on the ticket of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria in November 2023. He was arrested late on the night of this last July 8 following a tip-off for corruption by a failed public procurement tenderer. Along with municipal councillors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliev, 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 three are charged with attempting to extort a sum equivalent to 15%, excluding VAT, of BGN 1,523,446 - the value of a public procurement contract for the delivery of meals to schools and kindergartens.

Kotsev has denied any wrongdoing and insists that he is the victim of political repression. He remains in custody and every time the court refuses to release him. The last time he lost an appeal of his detention, one dissenting judge wrote in the reasoning that the reasonable assumption of Kotsev's involvement in the crimes is not currently strong enough to justify keeping him in custody. He concluded that Kotsev should be released on his own recognizance, but the other two judges thought otherwise.

Supporters say Kotsev's arrest is part of a government campaign targeting the opposition. Large-scale protests in his support have been staged in Varna, Sofia and other major cities.