The Municipal Election Commission (OIK) in Varna postponed its decision to remove Mayor Blagomir Kotsev from his position. The reason is his long and unjustified absence from the workplace.
With 20 votes 'for' and 7 'against', the commission decided to request additional documents from the Municipality to bring more clarity to the facts and circumstances surrounding the case. The chairman of the OIK, Velin Zhekov, pointed out that it is necessary to clarify the periods during which the mayor was absent or was substituted.
Zhekov stressed that a decision on whether to remove Kotsev will be made after the Municipality provides the requested information and the commission discusses it. He emphasized that the composition of the OIK is permanent and most members are professionals, not party members.
Zhekov added that the commission will strictly adhere to the procedures, the law, and judicial practice in order to make a reasoned decision. The lawyer of Blagomir Kotsev, Marin Pantov, also attended the meeting, who pointed out that the Law on Local Self-Government and Local Administration focuses on unjustified absence, not on the type of leave. He emphasized that the question is whether the absence is justified, including detention in custody.