The Sofia Court of Appeal overturned the ruling by the District Court which decided to extradite the Head of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric Bishop Jovan, and lifted the ban on Jovan leaving the country.

The decision of the Sofia Court of Appeal is final and Bishop Jovan can now leave Bulgaria as a free man.

According to the bishop's lawyer, Jovan's return to Macedonia would pose a genuine danger to both him and his followers.

Acting in the capacity of witnesses, Jovan's followers David Ninov and Olimpijada Misimarkovska testified before the Sofia Court of Appeal, and stated that Bishop Jovan is the victim of disagreements with the authorities in Macedonia, where his church has been proclaimed schismatic.

Bishop Jovan, born Zoran Vraniskovski, stated that the proceedings against him were politically motivated.

Bishop Jovan Vraniskovski was arrested at the Kalotina checkpoint, on the Bulgarian-Serbian border, on November 17, 2010, on an arrest warrant issued by the Bitola Municipal Court, which sentenced Jovan to 2.5 years of imprisonment for the embezzlement of EUR 250.000 worth of church funds during his office as the head of the non-recognised Macedonian Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.