Residents of Varna took to the streets again in protest in support of the detained mayor of the city, Blagomir Kotsev, outside the municipal building on Tuesday.
Demonstrators voiced their frustration with those in power and the judicial system, raising banners demanding freedom for political prisoners and backing Kotsev.
Acting mayor of Varna, Pavel Popov, read out a letter from Kotsev addressed to members of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, where Kotsev had been scheduled earlier that day to serve as rapporteur. Continuing the tradition, the protestors held a march through the city centre, briefly blocking the intersection in front of the municipal administration building.
Blagomir Kotsev, who won the mayor’s office in Varna on the ticket of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria 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 (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 BGN 1,523,446, 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. Varna Residents Rally for Detained Mayor Kotsev THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-10-14 18:40:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
