A dramatic turn occurred in the case against Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, after a key witness withdrew his initial statements. Dian Ivanov, who until recently held the position of deputy mayor, publicly announced that his testimony had been manipulated.
In an official statement to the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, Ivanov categorically emphasized that the information he provided in pre-trial proceedings 220/24 was false. According to his words, the information was obtained through inadmissible pressure from law enforcement officers.
Social networks became a platform for the initial revelation, when Ivanov shared details about what was happening. "Today I submitted a statement challenging the credibility of my previous testimony," he wrote on Facebook, causing widespread public interest.
It is important to note that Dian Ivanov is a long-time family lawyer of Blagomir Kotsev and left his position as deputy mayor in early May, at the time motivating his decision with health reasons.
A week ago, the same witness had given testimony to the relevant authorities, in which he claimed that at Kotsev's request, he had participated in extorting business woman Plamenka Dimitrova. She had initially filed a report that she was asked for money in exchange for winning a public procurement.
The current development raises many questions about the investigation methods and the credibility of the initial claims. It remains to be seen how this turn will affect the overall case against the Varna mayor.
Journalistic circles and legal experts are already commenting on the case, with expectations of an in-depth investigation of the circumstances surrounding the obtaining of the initial testimony.