site.btaProtesters Block Traffic in Central Sofia in Support of Varna Mayor Kotsev, Demand Judicial Independence

Protesters blocked traffic in front of the Palace of Justice in Sofia on Friday, demanding an independent judiciary and rule of law in Bulgaria. The demonstration was held in support of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, who remains in custody on corruption charges. The event was organized by the civic initiative Justice for All.

Earlier on Friday, Sofia City Court rejected a request by Kotsev to have his remand measure changed from detention to a lighter one, keeping him in custody. The ruling is not final and may be appealed.

“I am here because I am outraged by what is being done to the Mayor of Varna, he is being treated like a criminal,” said one of demonstrators, adding that "real criminals are being released from custody, but not someone like Blagomir Kotsev."  Others carried signs reading “Freedom for Varna, Freedom for Blago” and “I Don’t Want a Servant, I Want a Chief Prosecutor.”

Among the attendees were key political figures from the Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) alliance, including Nikolay Denkov, CC Chair Assen Vassilev, former co-leader Kiril Petkov, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, and Kotsev’s lawyer Ina Lulcheva.

Representatives from Democratic Bulgaria were also present, collecting signatures for a separate campaign opposing what they call a “Russian enclave” at the Iskar Reservoir.

Blagomir Kotsev, who won the mayor's office in Varna on the ticket of CC-DB was arrested 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 (SCPО). The following day, the SCPО 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.