Nikolay Stoyanov, head of the prison in Burgas, has told BTA that prison management did not know in advance that the detained mayors of Sungurlare and Belitsa would stay in custody.

"I carried out a decision of the Central Election Commission (CEC) on drawing up voter lists for polling in places of detention," he said.

He was replying to Kalin Stoyanov, an MP from DPS – New Beginning, who told parliament that the prison's management knew beforehand that the two mayors would be held in pre-trial detention.

On 22 October the mayors were detainees at the Burgas prison. A court hearing on their pre-trial measures began that day at 5.30pm.

Before the hearing, the prison head had to send a list of inmates with voting rights, so they could be removed from the lists at their permanent addresses. Notification letters to the municipalities also had to go out before that. The two mayors are on the prison's voter list.

Nikolay Stoyanov said such a list is sent before every election and he followed the usual procedure. "I did not know in advance what would happen to the detained mayors," he said.

On 24 October the Burgas District Court kept Sungurlare mayor Dimitar Gavazov and Belitsa mayor Radoslav Revanski in custody. It ordered both held, as prosecutors had asked, while their lawyers wanted a lighter measure.

If detainees are freed, they file a declaration on a CEC form and can vote at their permanent address.