ALDE Chair Demands EU Action over Arrests of Bulgarian Opposition Officials

Svenja Hahn, Chairwoman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and Member of the European Parliament from Germany, has formally requested an urgent meeting with European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath. The request follows the arrest of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev and municipal councilors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliyev on July 8.

All three individuals are affiliated with Bulgaria’s “We Continue the Change” party, a member of the ALDE political family. Their detention has sparked concern within the liberal European bloc over the integrity of judicial proceedings in Bulgaria.

In a statement published on the platform X, Hahn pointed to an increasingly troubling pattern in recent months - growing political pressure on the judiciary, expanded use of prosecutorial authority against opposition representatives, and attempts to weaken checks and balances through legislative initiatives.

She emphasized that these developments present a serious challenge to the rule of law and democratic standards. Hahn warned that the continuing erosion of institutional independence could have wider implications for Bulgaria’s democratic credentials within the European Union.

In response to the incident, a demonstration is scheduled to take place in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday. The protest is expected to draw attention to what organizers describe as politically motivated actions and potential misuse of prosecutorial power.