A second civil protest shook the administrative center of Varna, with residents massively standing behind their leader. By 6:50 PM, the square in front of the municipal building was filled with over 1,500 people, quickly growing to 2,000 demonstrators.
Protesters carried provocative placards with messages such as "Today is Blago, tomorrow it's you", "The Mayor is in arrest - come to the protest" and "Varna is not for sale". Many were wearing t-shirts with the inscription "Freedom for Varna", which emphasized their solidarity with local authorities.
Parallel to the street demonstration, the organizers were distributing a petition with the eloquent title "Stop Political Repression! Let's Defend the Right in Bulgaria! Freedom for Blago", which anyone could sign.
Among the prominent participants was Asen Vasilev, co-chairman of "We Continue the Change", who emphasized the political context of the protest. He announced that he would file a complaint against Plamenka Georgieva and reminded of the upcoming large protest on Wednesday.
Varna Deputy Stela Nikolova expressed a categorical position, stating: "We are more than the mafia. We are fighting for basic justice. How long will we tolerate this?"
The organizers' initial plan was for the protest to grow into a march towards Independence Square, with demonstrators chanting "Blago for Varna" and expressing sharp criticism of the current political situation.
The protest clearly showed the growing public discontent and solidarity with Mayor Blagomير Kotsev, whose detention is perceived by many as a politically motivated act.
The demonstration continues to develop, with organizers expecting new citizens to join the protest in support of local authorities and against attempts of political pressure.