The Renew Europe political formation in the European Committee of the Regions has come out with a position after the Sofia City Court decided to keep the mayor of Varna in prison, bTV reported.
“We continue to support the mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev. The Sofia City Court decided to keep him in custody. Although he was detained for more than 60 days without charges, the court rejected the request for a lighter measure.
The arrest and his continued detention are based on little evidence and unfounded accusations - even one witness admitted that he gave testimony under pressure. This highlights the abuse of preventive detention and raises concerns about the fairness of politically sensitive cases,” Renew Europe said.
“The Renew Europe Group in the European Committee of the Regions stresses that this harsh treatment raises serious doubts about the case and reflects broader concerns about local democracy and the rule of law in Bulgaria.
If the charges cannot be supported by unequivocal and credible evidence, he must be released in order to resume his democratic mandate“, the position also says.