The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) expresses serious concern regarding the account given by Kamelia, the wife of the Mayor of Varna, Blagomir Kotsev, about the actions of state authorities during the search and detention at their home on June 24, 2025.
The reported circumstances raise well-founded concerns about violations of fundamental rights protected by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and international human rights standards:
- Violation of the right to privacy and family life through the presence of small children and the denial of basic personal privacy for the mother;
- Restriction of the right to legal defense, as the reported advice “not to call a lawyer” directly contradicts core guarantees of a fair trial, including during the pre-trial phase;
- Lack of humane treatment during the investigative actions, including towards a nursing infant who, according to the account, was subjected to physical and emotional discomfort;
- Excessive and theatrical use of state resources, where authorities are expected to act with respect for human dignity and the presumption of innocence.
Regardless of the nature of the investigation, the state has a duty to guarantee the rights of all individuals, including their families, and to avoid actions that create the perception of abuse of power or targeted repression.
The BHC is also concerned about the media coverage by a leading television network, which just hours after the arrest gave significant airtime to the manager of a company that had won numerous public contracts under the previous municipal administration in Varna. This individual publicly accused Mayor Kotsev of various violations and criminal acts. There is no public evidence to support the truthfulness of her statements, nor is it clear whether the media outlet was aware of the interviewee’s potential conflict of interest.
Such practice strongly resembles a coordinated police-media campaign in which an arrest is staged as a performance, and journalism is used as a tool for political pressure.
This behavior undermines the principles of journalistic impartiality and fact-checking, as well as the objectivity required in public reporting on procedural actions.
