Bulgarian mayors of Belitsa and Sungurlare charged with influence peddling
Three days before Bulgaria's presidential election, prosecutors charged two mayors from the DPS party and a party official. The DPS says it is the target of political pressure.
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)
Prosecutors in the Bulgarian city of Burgas have charged the mayors of Belitsa and Sungurlare, Radoslav Revanski and Dimitar Gavazov. Investigators allege the two took part in a criminal conspiracy to engage in influence peddling. According to the charges, the conspiracy began in Sungurlare municipality in early 2024 and lasted until Oct. 20, 2026. Hristo Shirokov, who chairs the DPS party's regional council in Burgas, has also been charged. Both mayors were nominated by the party of Delyan Peevski. All three are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The mayors were detained on Oct. 20 and 21 in operations by the organized crime directorate GDBOP and the State Agency for National Security, DANS, and are being held for 72 hours. Prosecutors plan to ask a court to keep them in custody. Investigators searched administrative buildings and homes in both municipalities, seized documents on public procurement and questioned witnesses. It remains unclear how the alleged scheme worked and which contracts are involved, state broadcaster BNT reported. Shirokov is already under house arrest in a separate case.
The DPS said it will ask the acting chief prosecutor to examine its claim that Customs Agency director Nikolay Shushkov urged Revanski to switch to the Progressive Bulgaria party in exchange for political protection. The party wants to know whether this is linked to the subsequent raid. Shushkov told BNT he was on a business trip and would comment after his return. Bulgaria elects a new president on Sunday.