Sofia Military District Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment in the Military District Court Sofia in a case of crimes under Chapter One of the Special Part of the Criminal Code (Crimes against the Republic).
Six people were brought to justice for forming and leading a group for espionage, collecting and disclosure secret information to a foreign country and placing it in the service of a foreign state to serve as spies. Three of the persons disclosed foreign classified information of a military nature. Two of the accused were also charged with possession of firearms without permission.
As a leader of the group, former military intelligence official was accused. For years he selected individuals holding key positions with unrestricted access to classified information of the Republic of Bulgaria and NATO and EU partners. The members of the group took advantage of their official position to collect classified, official and other essential information of interest to foreign intelligence. For a fee, the same persons passed on the information to the leader of the group, which was provided by him and his wife to an employee at the embassy of the foreign country in Sofia.
Two active-duty officers from the Military Information Service, a Director in the Ministry of Defense and a senior official in the parliamentary administration participated in the group.
The group’s activities were concealed by intelligence methods, including the organization and modes of action, the means of gathering information and its conspiratorial transmission, and all possible measures were taken to cover up the criminal activity.
Evidence of over 140 volumes was gathered during the pre-trial proceedings. More than 70 witnesses were interrogated and were performed computer-technical, dactyloscopic, handwriting, face-identification, etc. expertise.
Five of the accused persons are currently on imposed restraining measure detention in custody, and one of them is on bail.
The court is about to schedule a dispositional hearing of the case.