Bulgarian Court Keeps Varna Mayor Kotsev Behind Bars, Rejects Defense Claims of Bias

Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev will remain in custody, following a ruling by the Sofia City Court, which reviewed his request for release from detention on Friday evening.

The hearing began shortly before 7 p.m., although it had initially been scheduled for the early afternoon. The delay came as the session was arranged on short notice, only a day after municipal councillors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliev were placed under house arrest and a new request was filed to reexamine Kotsev’s measure of restraint. Proceedings began after his lawyer, Nikolay Vladimirov, arrived from Varna. Kotsev’s second attorney, Ina Lulcheva, is currently abroad.

During the court session, Vladimirov asked for a lighter measure such as a signature release or cash bail. He argued that the investigation is being handled with bias and claimed that key witness statements have not been properly verified. The defense cited an earlier ruling of the Sofia Appellate Court, which described the investigation as “chaotic.” Vladimirov added that Kotsev poses no risk of absconding, stating that if the court deemed continued detention unnecessary for the municipal councillors, “then this applies even more strongly to Kotsev.”

The lawyer further criticized the credibility of witness Plamenka Dimitrova, whose testimony underpins the charges against Kotsev, Stefanov, Kateliev, and businessman Ivaylo Marinov. According to him, Dimitrova’s statements are inconsistent and contradictory, while other witnesses have personal interests or conflicts with the mayor. Vladimirov also noted that after the court decided to exclude all testimony from former deputy mayor Dian Ivanov last week, the accusations against Kotsev now rest solely on Dimitrova’s claims.

The prosecution, represented by prosecutor Angel Kanev, countered by referencing a new “secret witness”, a foreign national questioned with the assistance of an interpreter. Kanev described the witness as an investor who reported being asked to pay 20,000 leva for each zoning plan application in exchange for having his development projects approved. According to unconfirmed reports, the anonymous witness is Russian-speaking.

Kanev maintained that the current four-month period of detention is not excessive, though he acknowledged difficulties in securing technical experts for parts of the investigation.

In his final statement to the court, Blagomir Kotsev described overdevelopment as a serious issue in Varna and claimed that the witnesses testifying against him are motivated by personal or business interests. “As mayor, I took firm measures against corruption and harmful practices. Those dissatisfied with my actions are now testifying against me. I remain firm in saying that I am completely innocent,” Kotsev told the court.