Former Mayor of Varna Ivan Portnih has broken his long silence on the topic of corruption scandals and arrests in the Municipality of Varna. The ex-mayor announced that the family of the arrested Mayor Blagomir Kotsev has completely illegally seized several acres of land around his restaurant in the heart of the Sea Garden for their own use. Land that is state property, given to the municipality for use.
According to him, the local parliament has sought the rent for the areas on which Kotsev and his father Rubin develop their businesses, but so far not a penny has been received in the municipality's treasury. It's about 400,000 leva.
"These acres were used by the Kotsevi so that the restaurant, hotel, club and their illegal parking lots could profit even more at the expense of society. And these are not empty allegations, but an established violation", commented Portnih.
Here is Portnih's entire statement:
"They ask me why I don't write anything about the situation in Varna. I can't comment on a case where there is an investigative secret and not all the evidence has been disclosed.
I can't behave like our political opponents who hand out verdicts without even being charged. Who “convicted“ me more than once, and at times when they were ruthlessly earning dividends for themselves at the expense of slander.
But I can recall facts that I believe you will pay attention to.
Because for nearly two years I have been announcing and writing about striking irregularities that have not yet become the subject of media interest. And these are arrogant cases of lawlessness that would have found a place in all “proper“ media if they had happened during my mandates.
Let's start with the shocking fact that the Kotsevi family has seized for their own use several acres of land around their restaurant in the heart of the Sea Garden. Land that is state property, given at one point for the use of the municipality. In a word – public property.
These acres were taken over by the Kotsevs so that the restaurant, hotel, club and their illegal parking lots could profit even more at the expense of society. And these are not empty allegations, but an established violation.
Let me remind you that after the state, represented by the Regional Administration, sought an account from “Horizont“ for the seized land, the Kotsevs were sentenced to pay the municipality 400,000 leva in rent for the areas in question, on which they develop their business.
You don't think that Horizont owed the Municipality, managed by Kotsev, do you?!
On the contrary. How can they give their own money to society, even if it is managed by their heir!
Even more striking is the fact that in her desire to fulfill the court decision, a lawyer from Kotsev's administration initiated the issuance of a writ of execution for the amount owed, in order to protect the interests of the municipality and to serve it on the debtors - Kotsev's family. However, the mayor and deputy mayor, at that time still a loyal friend of the mayor, stopped its execution and ordered that no one deal with the case.
The action takes place in early spring this year.
As of now, “Overseas Horizon“ has not yet paid a single penny to the society for the seized public lands, from which they continue to profit. Despite the court decision.
And now I want to ask a question to all opponents and their supporters.
If I had committed a similar violation – to seize land in order to profit from it, would you have remained silent about this crime? Don't answer me, I know. You would have harnessed your entire Facebook army against me. And you would have been spewing signals to all institutions around the clock.
Your double standard is just as disgusting as the behavior of the owners of “Horizont“. The restaurant, to which cars can drive without any problems, although their movement in the Sea Garden is prohibited.
And this is a direct conflict of interest - it is right for the authorities to take an interest
The restaurant, which has its own private parking lot, built on land designated as a “public park, for landscaping”, not a parking lot. And new “developed” land in front of everyone's eyes - again with the status of “park, for landscaping”
These are the heroes you are standing behind.
I will tell you more tomorrow. Only facts that no one can refute. And no matter how you interpret them or even keep silent about the violations of Kotsev and company, they remain facts.
And as for the ShPG (Shurobadzhanashta Criminal Group) of Kotsev and PP, let the court rule on it," writes Ivan Portnykh.