The Bulgarian government has made a formal request to Libya, asking them to return its five nurses and one doctor after their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. The six medics were convicted of allegedly infecting hundreds of children with HIV at a children's hospital. According to the medics, their confessions were extracted as a result of torture.
The Bulgarian government says all the relevant paperwork related to their transfer has been delivered to the Libyan government.
Last week the medics were sentenced to the death penalty, this was commuted to life imprisonment by the High Judicial Council.
One of the medics, a Palestinian doctor, has been granted Bulgarian citizenship to facilitate his entering into any block transfers. As far as Serge Stanishev, Bulgaria's Prime Minister, is concerned, this case will only be fully resolved when all six have set foot on Bulgarian soil. In a press conference he said he and his people are all working for this to happen as soon as possible.
There is a 1984 prisoner-exchange agreement in which the six medics would be allowed to serve the rest of their life sentences at home (in Bulgaria). Libyan authorities say that they are seriously considering releasing the medics, as long as some help is provided for the families of the infected children.
A compensation package is already on the table, amounting to $1 million per infected child.
The medics, who had worked in a children's hospital where conditions were labeled as very unhygienic, were convicted of infecting 438 children with HIV-tainted blood on purpose. Since this was alleged to have happened 50 of the children have died.
The whole affair stinks of corruption, ineptitude and an inability to take responsibility. Foreign experts have reported that the infections in the hospital had started well before the medics ever began working there. It was reported that the hospital was filthy and a breeding ground for infections. The European Union, the USA and Bulgaria have accused Libya of using the six medics as a scapegoat, deflecting criticism from its shoddy health service.
Libya's leader, Muammar Gaddafi, who has been trying to improve relations with the West, may see his efforts go to waste if this problem is not addressed.
Libya has invited Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, to come and visit. Sources at the Elysee Palace say this could only happen after this case has been brought to a satisfactory resolution.