Kotsev Blagomir

Young reformer and mayor of the maritime capital: how a restaurateur from PP became the head of Varna

Blagomir Rubinov Kotsev (48 years old) is a Bulgarian economist, entrepreneur, and a top politician of the new wave from the liberal party "We Continue the Change" (PP). He was born in Varna and received prestigious education in the USA (American University) and the UK (University of London). For a long time, he managed a family shipping business and the well-known restaurant "Horizon" in the Sea Garden of Varna. In 2022, he began a rapid public service career as the regional governor of Varna Province. In November 2023, Kotsev won a high-profile political victory, winning the elections and becoming the 50th kmet (mayor) of the city of Varna, promising to cleanse the resort from his predecessors' corrupt construction schemes.

Arrest by the Anti-Corruption Committee, 12 criminal charges, and the scandalous "ghost city"

Kotsev's mayoral term turned into a continuous legal confrontation. In July 2025, the Anti-Corruption Commission loudly detained the mayor right in his office. The Sofia Prosecutor's Office filed charges against Kotsev and his associates for 12 crimes, including corrupt procurement, creating a criminal conspiracy, and attempting to conclude an unfavorable contract for legal services during his governorship. A separate blow to the mayor's reputation was the grand scandal around the "Baba Alino" area, where an illegal residential neighborhood (the so-called "Ukrainian city" built by developer Oleg Nevzorov) grew right under the municipality's nose. Although Kotsev accuses 70-year-old former chief architect Valentin Koichev of issuing fake certificates, opponents blame the mayor's office for criminal inaction, which threatens the city with lawsuits worth millions of euros. Although at the end of October 2026, the prosecution partially closed the case due to a lack of evidence regarding Kotsev's links to an unnamed deputy, the main court proceedings concerning abuse of power accusations continue.