The Court of Appeals in the Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo has rejected the demand of the Prosecutor's Office for removing the mayor and chief architect, charged with malfeasance in office.

Prosecutors have accused the mayor Rumen Rashev and chief architect, Elena Abadzhieva, in overstepping their powers by offering a municipality-owned land plot to a private construction company, which profited a total of BGN 3,5 M from the deal.

The appellate judges ruled Wednesday that the demand for removal of the two was wrong and unreasonable because Rashev could not hamper the investigation, which ended three months ago.

In the meantime, the Prosecutor's Office has withdrawn the demand for the removal of Abadzhieva, who has already retired.

The Veliko Tarnovo mayor was not present in the courthouse on Wednesday because he was taking part in an "important meeting with a foreign investor," in his lawyer's words.

The decision of the Court of Appeals is final and could not be appealed again.