The investigation against Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev has officially concluded, marking a new stage in one of Bulgaria’s most closely watched corruption cases. Kotsev, along with four others, is accused of participating in a criminal association for corruption-related offenses. His lawyers spent hours at the Sofia City Prosecutor’s Office, where the case materials were presented. Similar sessions for the remaining defendants are expected next week, after which prosecutors are set to submit the case to the Sofia City Court.

The charges against Kotsev have been revised. He is now formally accused of being part of a criminal association together with municipal councilors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov, businessman Ivaylo Marinov, and Varna Municipality’s PR officer, Antoaneta Petrova. The case file also clarifies that the previously unnamed person with immunity, which led to the case being transferred from Varna to Sofia, is a sitting member of the 51st National Assembly, though prosecutors have not disclosed the name. The alleged criminal activity is said to have occurred between July 2024 and May 2025.

Kotsev faces two counts of coercion and three of soliciting bribes. He has been held in custody since July 8, with six court panels so far rejecting requests for his release. The most recent denial came two weeks ago, though one judge, Andrey Angelov from the Sofia Court of Appeal, issued a dissenting opinion arguing that a plea bargain would be more appropriate. The main reason cited for Kotsev’s continued detention is his position as acting mayor, which prosecutors argue allows him to influence witnesses.

Defense lawyer Ina Lulcheva questioned why her client remains in custody now that the investigation has ended and no further evidence is expected to be collected. Kotsev’s legal team has asked for the pre-trial proceedings to be terminated and for him to be released without a detention order. The evidence collected so far spans over 40 volumes, and all defendants have received summonses to review the materials. While Kotsev’s co-accused - Kateliev, Stefanov, and Petrova - did not appear in court this week, they are expected to do so in the coming days.

Kotsev remains on leave until November 11. It is still unclear whether he will continue serving as mayor afterward, as the prosecution has not yet requested his suspension. Once the defendants finish reviewing the evidence, the prosecutor’s office will have seven days to issue a final ruling on the case.

Earlier, the Sofia Court of Appeal criticized the prosecution for insufficient diligence in gathering evidence, noting that witnesses beneficial to both sides should have been questioned, including “We Continue Change” leader Asen Vassilev, who was never called to testify despite alleged links to the case being moved to Sofia. The court also pointed out inconsistencies in the prosecution’s stance, as it never sought Kotsev’s suspension from office yet claimed he could obstruct the investigation if he remained mayor.

The charges against Kotsev stem from several corruption and coercion allegations. He and Petrova are accused of demanding a 60,000-euro bribe from construction entrepreneur Trayan Georgiev, who sought approval to build in Varna’s city center. Prosecutors claim the money was meant to secure favorable treatment from Deputy Mayor Plamen Kitipov in approving the project’s development plan. Another bribery count involves 21,000 leva allegedly requested from Ivelin Ivanov in connection with the consolidation of several properties.

In addition to bribery, Kotsev faces two coercion charges. In one case, he and councilor Nikolay Stefanov allegedly pressured businesswoman Plamenka Dimitrova to transfer half of her municipal contracts to a company owned by Ivaylo Marinov. In another, Kotsev reportedly ordered Bilyana Yakova, head of the city’s public transport renovation project, to transfer over 3 million leva from the municipality’s account to that of the “City Transport” company, threatening her with dismissal if she refused. Yakova did not comply and was later fired.