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HIV medics released to Bulgaria HIV medics released to Bulgaria
(about 2 hours later)
Six Bulgarian medics who were serving life sentences in Libya have arrived in Bulgaria following their release, ending their eight-year incarceration. Six Bulgarian medical workers who were imprisoned in Libya for deliberately infecting children with HIV have arrived in Bulgaria after being freed.
They were immediately pardoned by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov. The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor, who served eight years of the life sentences they received, had always maintained they were innocent.
The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor were convicted of deliberately infecting Libyan children with HIV - charges they have always denied. All six were pardoned on their arrival by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.
The release was made possible by a deal struck in Tripoli on improving Libya-EU ties, following years of negotiations.The release was made possible by a deal struck in Tripoli on improving Libya-EU ties, following years of negotiations.
The EU's External Affairs Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, made many trips to Libya, meeting the prisoners and working to improve conditions for children infected with HIV/Aids.The EU's External Affairs Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, made many trips to Libya, meeting the prisoners and working to improve conditions for children infected with HIV/Aids.
The dramatic case with the sentenced innocent Bulgarian citizens is at its end; we are still sympathetic with the other tragedy - the one of the infected Libyan children and their families Georgi ParvanovBulgarian President class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6896231.stm">Profiles: The medics class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6971&edition=1">Send us your comments French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Cecilia, were also involved in the final negotiations.
She described the medics' release as "a humanitarian decision", adding that it marked "a new page in the history of relations between the EU and Libya". Mr Sarkozy is now scheduled to visit Libya on Wednesday and meet the country's leader, Muammar Gaddafi, to discuss Tripoli's re-integration into the international community.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy - whose wife, Cecilia, also played a role in securing their freedom - said he would travel to Libya on Wednesday for talks, which he said would focus on helping Libya re-join the international community. 'We kept hoping'
At a news conference in Paris, Mr Sarkozy said that neither France nor the EU had made the "smallest financial contribution to Libya" as part of any deal.
Last week, the six had death sentences commuted to life in prison by Libya's top legal body.
The High Judicial Council ruling came after the families of the 438 children agreed a compensation deal reportedly worth $1m (£500,000) per child.
An EU official told the BBC that the payout was made from the Gaddafi Foundation, a charity overseen by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam.
EU spokeswoman Christina Mueschen said the EU had not contributed to this fund, but had donated to the Benghazi International Fund - along with other charitable organisations - which supports the hospital and treatment of the infected children.
However, Libya's Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgham said both the EU and France had contributed to the fund, covering the sum needed "and more on top".
Archaeological help
On their arrival aboard a French government plane at Sofia airport, the medics were greeted on the tarmac by tearful relatives and well-wishers.On their arrival aboard a French government plane at Sofia airport, the medics were greeted on the tarmac by tearful relatives and well-wishers.
I lived for this moment - it's as if I had never been guilty of anything. Snezhana DimitrovaFreed Bulgarian nurse A Bulgarian in Libya Profiles: The medics Send us your comments
One of the nurses, Snezhana Dimitrova, declared: "I lived for this moment.
"It's as if this had never been... as if I had never been guilty of anything. I am happy now."
Another nurse, Christina Valcheva, said the six were informed of their impending release shortly before dawn.
"They told us at four in the morning. They woke me up. At a quarter to six we passed through the big gate of the prison and we were taken to the VIP area of the airport and to the French plane."
Despite years in prison, Ms Valcheva said the group had always kept hoping they would be freed.
"You know that hope dies last. We always had hope, although we were quite sceptical and were afraid to say it," she said.
At least one other Bulgarian, Zdravko Georgiev, the husband of one of the nurses who was held under house arrest in Libya, also returned home with the group.
Compensation confusion
European politicians hailed the release of the medics. Ms Ferrero-Waldner said it marked "a new page in the history of relations between the EU and Libya".
The deal follows years of efforts by Ms Ferrero-WaldnerMr Sarkozy and the EU denied making any financial payment to secure the medics' release.
However, the families of the 438 infected children reportedly agreed last week to a compensation deal worth $1m (£500,000) per child, channelled through Gaddafi Foundation, a charity run by Seif al-Islam, the Libyan leader's son.
Libya's foreign minister said both the EU and France had contributed to the fund, AFP reported.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU could now begin to normalise trade and political ties with Libya.European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU could now begin to normalise trade and political ties with Libya.
The deal follows years of efforts by Ms Ferrero-WaldnerAccording to EU officials, the key to the agreement has been a memorandum signed in Tripoli by Ms Ferrero-Waldner, which would lead to the full normalisation of EU relations with Libya. The European market could now be opened to Libyan farm and fishery produce, and there could be co-operation in archaeology, education, and healthcare for the Libyan children infected with HIV.
The BBC's Oana Lungescu says it includes a pledge to open the European market to Libyan farm and fishery produce, technical assistance for the restoration of archaeological monuments, and EU grants for Libyan students. Citizenship
It also included measures to improve the medical care of the children infected with HIV/Aids in Libya, the French presidential palace said. President Parvanov said he was satisfied with the release of the medics.
Libya said it had ordered the release of the medical workers after it was satisfied that the conditions for extradition had been met. The imprisonment of the medics caused an international outcry"The dramatic case with the sentenced innocent Bulgarian citizens is at its end. We are still sympathetic with the other tragedy - the one of the infected Libyan children and their families," he said.
Earlier, Mr Sarkozy and Mr Barroso welcomed the agreement, paying tribute to Ms Ferrero-Waldner and the mediation of the emir of Qatar. The Palestinian doctor, Ashraf Hajouj, was granted Bulgarian citizenship last month to allow him to benefit from any transfer deal. He is now expected to travel to the Netherlands to visit his family.
Transfer deal
Bulgaria had officially asked Libya to repatriate the medics so they could serve out their sentences in Bulgaria.
The imprisonment of the medics caused an international outcryBulgaria's President Parvanov said he was satisfied with their release.
"The dramatic case with the sentenced innocent Bulgarian citizens is at its end. We are still sympathetic with the other tragedy - the one of the infected Libyan children and their families," he said.
The Palestinian doctor was granted Bulgarian citizenship last month to allow him to benefit from any transfer deal.
The medics were convicted of deliberately injecting the 438 children with HIV-tainted blood. Fifty-six of the children have since died.The medics were convicted of deliberately injecting the 438 children with HIV-tainted blood. Fifty-six of the children have since died.
The six, who have been in prison since 1999, say they were tortured to confess. The six, who had been in prison since 1999, say they were tortured to confess.
Foreign experts say the infections started before the medics arrived at the hospital, and are more likely to have been a result of poor hygiene.Foreign experts say the infections started before the medics arrived at the hospital, and are more likely to have been a result of poor hygiene.
Bulgaria, its allies in the EU and the United States say Libya has used the case to deflect criticism from its run-down health service. Bulgaria, its allies in the EU and the US say Libya has used the case to deflect criticism from its run-down health service.