Two mayors, Dimitar Gavazov of Sungurlare and Radoslav Revanski of Belitsa, will stay in custody. Burgas Regional Court tonight granted prosecutors' request to detain them, the toughest measure available.
Officers from the GDBOP organised crime unit held both men for up to 72 hours after special operations. Earlier today, Burgas regional prosecutors said they had charged the pair with taking part in a criminal conspiracy to trade in influence, under Article 321, paragraph 6 of the Criminal Code. They said they would ask the court to detain them.
The background: Mayors of Sungurlare and Belitsa charged with influence peddling
Three people are charged in the case. The third, Hristo Shirokov, is the Burgas regional chair of "DPS - New Beginning". He is already under house arrest in another case, over alleged crimes at the Burgas water utility.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy was formed in Sungurlare municipality, and that the three men acted from the start of 2024 until 20 October 2026.
The court heard the request this afternoon. At about 5.30pm, Gavazov and Revanski were brought into the courtroom under escort.
Staff of the Sungurlare municipal administration and people from Sungurlare, Belitsa, Aytos, Yambol, Yakoruda and Sliven came to the Law Courts to support Gavazov. They say the arrests are political.
After the ruling, an official car took the two mayors to a pre-trial detention centre. Unhappy with the court, the crowd surrounded the vehicle.