site.btaSpecialized Prosecution Office Presses Espionage Charges against Russophiles National Movement Chairman Nikolai Malinov

Sofia, June 23 (BTA) - The specialized prosecution office (SPO)
has sent to court the document of indictment against Russophiles
 National Movement Chairman Nikolai Malinov, who is charged with
 espionage.

The SPO said that witnesses were questioned, searches were made,
 expert examinations conducted in the investigation against
Malinov.

In September 2019 Malinov was charged with espionage in favour
of Russia, while the State Agency for National Security (SANS)
imposed a ten-year ban on retired Russian intelligence general
Leonid Reshetnikov's entering Bulgaria. Malinov for his part was
 banned from leaving Bulgaria. Malinov allegedly placed himself
at the service of two foreign organizations having their seats
in the Russian Federation: the Double-Headed Eagle Society
(whose Deputy Chairman is Reshetnikov) and the Russian Institute
 for Strategic Studies (whose director at that time was
Reshetnikov).

In addition to chairing the Russophiles National Movement,
Malinov also heads a party called Revival of the Fatherland
which is running in the July 11 early parliamentary elections in
 Bulgaria in a coalition called Left Union for Pure and Sacred
Republic. NV/ZH