Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev Released from Custody

Shortly after midday, on November 28, the Mayor of the coastal city of Varna Blagomir Kotsev left the detention facility of Varna Prison, a day after the Regional Court changed his remand measure to a more lenient one – monetary bail. As he exited the facility, he was greeted by his family and colleagues from the Municipality of Varna.

“I am extremely grateful to the people who committed to making this happen and that the amount was gathered so quickly. What can I say – it is truly a sign that people understand and are ready to help. I thank them for everything,” he told reporters in his first comments.

Kotsev said he would most likely return to work as early as Monday.

He added that he had drawn many lessons from what had happened to him, but stressed that what follows now is in the hands of the court.

Within just a few hours, donors from across the country collected the required 200,000 leva for the mayor’s bail. The fundraising campaigns, which involved more than 2,500 people, were organised by MP Manol Peykov and actor Filip Bukov. Once the bail is refunded, the collected funds will be donated to meaningful and unifying causes.

“I expected the remand measure to be changed long ago, but once the case was submitted to the court – not so much after its transfer to Varna – the credibility of all arguments previously raised was already lost, particularly the claim that he might somehow obstruct the development of the case. So yes, this was the legal logic,” Kotsev’s lawyer Ina Lulcheva told BNT’s “The Day Begins” this morning, November 28.

According to her, Kotsev is accused of soliciting bribes which, however, the indictment states were allegedly requested by other individuals.

Photos by BTA