After Gŭlŭbovo and Pavel Banya, Gurokovo Municipality is the third in the Stara Zagora region to become part of Deliyan Peevski’s “New Beginning” strategy. Speaking to “Za ISTINATA,” Kuncho Papazov, the mayor of the municipality, stated:
“If you’re looking for a sensation, you won’t find it.
As a mayor who cares about the people, I am seeking solutions for the development of the municipality. That was the spirit of my meeting with Deliyan Peevski. But I will continue to talk with all political forces represented in the parliament and will expect their assistance in solving the people’s problems.”
Kanchyo Papazov was elected in the recent local elections as an independent candidateSupported by GERB, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, “Vazrazhdane,” BSP for Bulgaria, “There Is Such a People,” VMRO – BND, SDS, and the Political Movement “Social Democrats,” he won the vote with approximately a 7% lead over Marian Tzonev, who managed the municipality in the previous term as a DPS mayor.
At that time, Gurokovo was one of Deliyan Peevski’s strongholds, with his right-hand man in the region, Khalil Letifov, serving as the regional chairman of the party.
Before the 2023 local elections, DPS’s attitude towards Marian Tzonev had cooled considerably; a rift developed between them, and the party refused to nominate him as its candidate for a new term. Marian Tzonev, who, together with his son Georgi Tzonev, had held sway over the municipality for four years like a feudal lord, then created a local coalition called “Citizens for the Municipality,” entering the mayoral race on its behalf. In the municipal council, he managed to get six seats, while the remaining seven were divided between GERB and BSP. Dimitar Drachov of GERB was elected chairman; he had previously served as deputy regional governor of Stara Zagora.
“I am a bit uncomfortable that Papazov has adopted the ‘New Beginning’ strategy,”
and I told him this over the phone. We haven’t spoken in person yet, but I expect to understand his motives during our upcoming meeting later today, the chairman of the Municipal Council commented to our media.
When asked whether councilors from Marian Tzonev’s coalition have tried to shift to Deliyan Peevski’s camp, Dimitar Drachov responded that there were statements to that effect a month ago, but it seems those attempts have been futile—most likely due to Halil Letifov’s disagreement. He probably still hasn’t come to terms with DPS’s failure in the recent local elections, when the party couldn’t even elect a single councilor to the municipal council after parting ways with Marian Tzonev.
One of the theories discussed in the small Sub-Balkan town regarding the mayor’s move to the DPS camp “New Beginning” is that Kanchyo Papazov was pressured by tax authorities over his business, which he transferred to his son after being elected mayor. A media outlet (name not to be mentioned) reported that there was an open pre-trial case at the General Directorate “National Police” against Papazov for VAT evasion in particularly large amounts, even before he became mayor.
However, Papazov strongly denied this information to “Za Istinata” (“For the truth”) stating that
in previous years his company always settled its debts with the National Revenue Agency, and only this year delayed the payment of that tax by about ten days.
Whether Deliyan Peevski is holding the Gurokovo mayor “on a short leash” remains to be seen. But it’s more than obvious that, given the distribution of power in the 13-member Municipal Council,
the leader of DPS “New Beginning” could block any decision made by Kanchyo Papazov—if he chooses to do so.
Or perhaps he will redirect financial resources to the impoverished municipality under the pretext that it must take care of its people—his favorite phrase, which has become a refrain at every media appearance.
With just three mayors, Peevski’s influence in the Stara Zagora region is considerable. It’s a well-known secret that firms close to him win and execute public contracts worth millions in Stara Zagora. The same situation exists in the Kazanlak municipality. In the last local elections there, Galina Stoyanova won against her opponent by just over 500 votes, supported by voters from the DPS villages Hadzhi Dimirova and Koprinka, as well as from the Romani neighborhood in the town.
The MP, sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act, clearly has no intention of stopping his attempts to seduce and/or extort local authorities across the country. How far his efforts to seize new territories and impose his influence will go remains to be seen—and perhaps society will finally understand what’s happening to him.
