The Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia will appeal the acquittal of third president Serzh Sargsyan in the "diesel" case, Sputnik Armenia reports citing the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.

Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges rejected by him as politically motivated.

Sargsyan, who ruled Armenia from 2008-2018, was charged with giving privileged treatment in 2013 to his longtime friend and businessman Barsegh Barseghyan, which allegedly cost the state over $1 million in losses. According to the prosecution, he made sure that a government tender for supplies of subsidized diesel fuel to farmers is won by Barseghyan’s Flash company, rather than another fuel importer that offered a lower price.

Sargsyan’s lawyer, Amram Makinyan, praised the judge presiding over the marathon trial for clearing his client of any wrongdoing.

“This verdict shows that justice in Armenia is not yet completely dead and that we still have a chance to restore it,” Makinyan told reporters after its announcement, RFE/RL’s Armenian service reports.

Sargsyan was more reserved, saying: “It’s not that I’m thrilled by this decision or that a different decision would have been a tragedy for me. Given the fact that the statute of limitations for such deeds has long expired, this verdict has a primarily moral significance for me.”

Sargsyan refused last year to plea the statute of limitations and thus cut short his trial, insisting on his formal acquittal. He would not have gone to prison even if he had been found guilty.