The leader of the "Russophile" movement; Nikolay Malinov was acquitted in the five-year espionage case.
The trial began in the now closed Specialized Criminal Court on charges that Malinov had placed himself in the service of a foreign organization in order to release information constituting a state secret.
Initially, Malinov was detained, but was later released on a 50,000 leva bail and was prohibited from leaving the country. The reasons for his acquittal will become clear after they are published by the Sofia City Court.
The verdict is not final and the prosecutor's office may protest it before the second-instance appeals court.