Renew Europe condemns worsening political persecution and rule of law backsliding in Bulgaria

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament 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 2025.

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.

Valérie Hayer, President of Renew Europe, said:
"Ongoing attacks on democratic standards and the blatant use of justice institutions to target political opponents in Bulgaria are deeply alarming. This is a direct assault on European values, and we call on the Bulgarian authorities to immediately release Mayor Kotsev and put an end to this political repression. Europe cannot remain silent when the rule of law is threatened within our Union."

Renew Europe MEPs want the rule of law and corruption in Bulgaria to be raised at the highest levels. Valérie Hayer added:

"I am calling on the EU institutions to urgently condemn this arrest. 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."

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. Renew Europe calls on the European Parliament and all EU institutions to condemn this blatant political persecution and to demand the immediate release of Mayor Kotsev. The people of Bulgaria and all European citizens deserve better.