site.btaGERB Leader Reiterates Call to Party Representatives in Varna Election Commission to Stay out of Attempts to Remove Varna Mayor

In a Facebook post Monday, GERB said the party leader, Boyko Borissov, has reiterated his call to the party representatives in the Varna municipal election commission "to stay out of possible attempts to terminate the term in office" of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev. The post on social media was prompted by an upcoming meeting of the Varna election commission. 

Borissov is quoted as saying that he "doesn't want a default victory" and "does not aim to change the majority vote of Varna people via administrative or procedural actions". 

Following consultations with Borissov, the GERB Executive Commission recommended the same line of action by the party representatives in the municipal election commission for its November 23, 2025 sitting.

On November 23, the election commission postponed a decision on whether Kotsev should be removed due to long absence from work. 

Kotsev was arrested on July 8 in a corruption probe and remained in remand for some five months - until his release by a Varna court on November 27. During his time in remand, he had to take paid and unpaid leave to justify his absence, and appoint a deputy to sit in for him. The Varna municipal election commission took up the case of his absence after receiving alerts from voters. 

Kotsev has denied any wrongdoing. His Continue the Change party insist that his arrest is part of a campaign by the Establishment targeting the opposition. Large-scale protests in his support were staged in Varna, Sofia and other major cities. The Renew Europe group in the European Parliament where Continue the Change is affiliated, described Kotsev's extended detention as "an onslaught on democratic institutions and rule of law in Bulgaria".