Bulgarian Socialist Top Shot: From Behind the Bars to Mayor Candidate

Borislav Gutsanov, former chair of Varna municipal council and member of the Executive Board of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, who was arrested last year in a high-profile police operation on embezzlement allegations, will run for mayor.

Gutsanov has been nominated by the Bulgarian Socialist Party and is its sole candidate for the prestigious office in the city of Varna, known as the country's sea capital. In the upcoming local elections in October he will also top the party's list of municipal councilors.

Borislav Gutsanov was arrested alongside the Director of the Varna municipality 'autotransport' department, Pencho Penchev and Yana Krusteva, the department's Chief Accountant, at the end of March last year in a high-profile police operation code-named the Jellyfish.

Businessman Daniel Slavov aka Dido Dunkata was also taken into custody after being arrested in his own Hotel 'Capitol'.

The detentions came on allegations of a number of crimes, including the masterminding of a crime gang, including high-ranking officials, embezzlement and malfeasance in office, forging of documents.

Prosecutors claimed Gutsanov led a criminal group in the period 2003-2007, an allegation, which they said was backed by solid evidence. After spending nearly two months behind the bars however he was released on bail.

Gutsanov was removed from his post in the municipal council at the end of April. He has repeatedly said that the trial against him is political and has threatened to sue Bulgaria in the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg over police brutality during the arrest.

Borislav Gutsanov has been a member of the Executive Board of the National Council of the BSP since November 2009, responsible for local government and regional policy. He was top of the BSP list during the municipal council elections in 2007 and was soon elected as Chair of the Varna municipality council. During the 2009 general elections Gutsanov was second on the BSP list for the Varna region behind party leader and ex PM Sergey Stanishev.

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