The Sofia City Court decides whether to release the Mayor of Varna Blagomir Kotsev. The hearing began with a delay, as Kotsev's new defense attorney, lawyer Vladimirov, was traveling to the capital. His original lawyer, Lulcheva, did not appear, as she had announced a previously planned trip abroad. Despite the prosecution's proposal to postpone the case, the accused insisted on it being held, Nova TV reports.
A 46-page volume presented the prosecution with new evidence. The materials include 3 interrogations, one of a person with a secret identity, and a telephone examination.
In the reasons for the release, the defense pointed to the new interrogation before a judge of the former deputy mayor Dian Ivanov, who has already officially claimed that his first statements were given under pressure from employees of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Among the reasons was yesterday's decision of the Court of Appeal, by which the two municipal councilors, detained together with Blagomir Kotsev, were released under house arrest on the grounds that there was no longer a need for them to remain in custody. This could also be applied to Kotsev, the defense claims.
On Thursday, a court panel ruled on a measure of "house arrest" for Varna municipal councilors Nikolay Stefanov and Yordan Kateliyev. The three are accused of participating in an organized crime group for corruption crimes.
In his defense before the court, Blagomir Kotsev himself was categorical that he was innocent.
"I fully maintain my defense. Indeed, to this day I do not understand the reason for being in custody", he said. "I do not understand why I am included in the organized crime group, because I do not participate in these procedures. I have delegated these duties to the deputy mayor", Kotsev added.
Regarding the delayed permits, the mayor of Varna drew a parallel with the floods on the Black Sea coast: "When I look at Elenite, I think how right we have acted". He once again emphasized that the permits do not reach him, as he has delegated the rights to officials, and only the large projects reach his office.
The mayor of Varna asked the court for a more adequate measure of detention that would allow him to be with his family
"I fight against corruption, I do not defend it", concluded Blagomir Kotsev.