Renew Europe strongly condemns the escalating assault on democratic institutions and the rule of law in Bulgaria, exemplified by the politically motivated arrest of Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev on 8 July.
The Group believes this arrest, carried out under dubious circumstances just hours before a crucial municipal budget vote, represents a clear case of political persecution and a dangerous misuse of state power against the opposition.
Renew Europe MEPs called for the immediate release of Mayor Kotsev and for the issue of rule of law and corruption in Bulgaria to be raised at the highest levels.
"Ongoing attacks on democratic standards and the blatant use of justice institutions to target political opponents in Bulgaria are deeply alarming. Europe cannot remain silent when the rule of law is threatened. The worrying situation regarding the rule of law in Bulgaria must be discussed at the highest institutional level. We must defend our democratic principles consistently and firmly wherever they are under attack,” said Renew Europe President Valérie Hayer MEP.
The arrest of Mayor Kotsev is part of a broader pattern of state capture in Bulgaria, where the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Anti-Corruption Commission have increasingly become instruments of political suppression rather than impartial guardians of justice.
The deliberate timing of this arrest, coinciding with Bulgaria’s Eurozone admission celebrations, demonstrates a cynical strategy to deflect scrutiny and conceal democratic backsliding behind positive headlines.
Renew Europe recalls the 2025 Rule of Law Report’s warnings on Bulgaria’s continued failure to ensure judicial independence and to address high-level corruption. The events in Varna are a stark illustration of these unresolved structural problems and confirm the urgent need for stronger EU mechanisms to safeguard democratic standards.
Renew Europe stands in full solidarity with the Bulgarian opposition and all citizens fighting for democratic integrity.