site.btaFinal Charges Brought against Varna Mayor, Lawyer Confirms

The Anti-Corruption Commission has brought final charges in the case against Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev while he remains in custody, lawyer Ina Lulcheva, who represents Kotsev, told BTA. "We were notified that the investigation has been completed," Lulcheva said.

Kotsev has been in custody since early July as the authorities were investigating him for corruption.

Lulcheva added that the case files are expected to be presented on Friday. Asked whether an indictment will be filed with the court soon, she said that this question should be addressed to the prosecution.

Lawyer Dilyana Agova told BTA that the charges against municipal councillors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliev were also revised on Monday. She said that the charges were downgraded from participation in an organized criminal group to criminal conspiracy.

The prosecution has not yet issued official information regarding the actions taken against the defendants.

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.

Fellow detainees Kateliev and Stefanov have already been released and are under house arrest.

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.