Bulgaria's Deputy FM: I am Not Buying Prisoner's Clothes

Novinite Insider » INTERVIEW | September 21, 2006, Thursday // 00:00
Bulgaria: Bulgaria's Deputy FM: I am Not Buying Prisoner's Clothes Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

Feim Chaushev is Bulgaria's Deputy Foreign Minister. He was approached by Darik News on September 21 hours after a Tripoli court adjourned the last hearing of the trial of the five Bulgarian medics.

Svetoslav Ivanov from Darik News talked to Feim Chaushev*


Q: Minister Chaushev, recently you forecast that the Bulgarian medics in Libya will come back in a very short time, but your predictions failed to happen...

A: Yes indeed, but as you saw the session of the Libyancourt was put off for 31 October because of the illness of the Libya lawyer for the defence Osman Bizanti. I thought and believed this was going to be the last court session and in the middle of October we would hear the final verdict. Depending on this verdict we could take steps for bringing Bulgarian nurses home. I made a prediction that the court sessions will not be more than four. They were more but most of them turned absolutely fruitless.

Q: Do you think there is a connection between Bizanti's failure to show up in court and the forthcoming presidential elections on October 22 in Bulgaria?

A: There is absolutely no connection between the two. Until Thursday morning I did not know that Osman Bizanti was admitted to hospital. His son called us.

Q: Have you bought prisoners' clothes if the nurses do not come back in Bulgaria until New Year's Eve as you promised?

A: If you remember my exact words I said, "If you do not come back, I shall come and stay in prison instead of you". I did not fix day or month. I only wanted to emphasize that this case will be solved and the nurses will come back safe and sound in Bulgaria. I think there will be no need for me to buy prisoners' clothes and go to Libya prison instead of them.

Q: If Libya confirms the death sentence, will you resign? Your optimism will prove groundless...

A: There is some misunderstanding between us. I just told you that there are mechanisms that we will set in motion in order to do everything to bring back those nurses in Bulgaria after the court's decision. We will not accept the death sentence. Furthermore the Supreme Court had repealed it. I believe our medics are innocent and facts and evidence show it. I hope for an impartial and just court decision.

Q: So the question about your resignation is pointless?

A: What do you mean by asking me if I am going to hand my resignation? This has nothing to do with the other! We have done everything we could and put all our efforts in bringing the trial to a favourable end.

* Translated by Lora Petrova, Sofia News Agency

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Interview » Be a reporter: Write and send your article

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria