Bulgaria Charges Head of Pro-Russian Group With Espionage

(Bloomberg) -- Bulgaria charged the head of a pro-Russian civil-society group with espionage, alleging he supplied information to help shift the Balkan nation’s geopolitical trajectory.

The move could complicate ties between the two countries, which have remained cordial -- particularly in the energy sector -- despite Bulgaria’s membership of the European Union and NATO. In a possible sign of tougher rhetoric before local elections in October, Bulgaria criticized the Kremlin last week over remarks about World War II.

While he didn’t reveal any state secrets, prosecutors in Sofia said Tuesday that Nikolay Malinov, chairman of the National Russophile Movement, faces as long as 15 years in prison for passing information to a research institute and a non-governmental organization in Russia.

Documents written by Malinov in Russian propose switching Bulgaria’s geopolitical course from “the Western world toward the Russian Federation,” including by transferring key private assets to Russian ownership, creating a TV channel and a political party, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev said.

Malinov was released on bail of 50,000-lev ($28,000) and banned from leaving the country. His mobile phone was switched off when Bloomberg tried to reach him.

To contact the reporter on this story: Slav Okov in Sofia at sokov@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Irina Vilcu at isavu@bloomberg.net, Andrew Langley, Piotr Bujnicki

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