The Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) officially confirmed the powers of Pavel Popov as interim mayor of Varna, after rejecting a complaint filed by the Chairman of the Municipal Council. In a detailed decision published on the institutional website, the court justified its position with the lack of procedural grounds for challenge.
The magistrates categorically stated that Blagomir Kotsev's order does not possess the characteristics of a direct administrative act subject to judicial review. According to their expert assessment, the document represents an internal departmental directive that does not infringe on the legal interests of individuals or legal entities.
Prior to this, on July 8, Blagomir Kotsev was detained on suspicion of corruption crimes. The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office brought charges against him and three of his accomplices - municipal councilors Yordan Kateliev and Nikolay Stefanov, as well as businessman Ivaylo Marinov.
On July 11, the Sofia City Court ordered a measure of "detention in custody" for the four accused. In this critical situation, Blagomir Kotsev had previously designated his deputy Pavel Popov as interim mayor, which was subsequently challenged by the Chairman of the Municipal Council.
The SAC's decision is final and puts an end to speculations regarding the status of the interim leadership of the Varna Municipality. Simultaneously, the Economic Police Department continues to investigate the case.