One of the renowned microbiologists who testified in favor of the Bulgarian defendants in Libya's HIV case, Vittorio Collizi, said there is a breakthrough in the trial. He declared his readiness to repeat the testimony before another instance. The scholar made the pledge in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio.

On Wednesday, he appeared together with the discoverer of the HIV virus, Luc Montaigner, in the criminal court in Libyan city Benghazi that hears the case of the six Bulgarian medics accused of intentionally infecting local children with HIV.

"The truth is on the way: this is my impression," Collizi enthused. He pointed out the epidemic turns out to be more of a problem for Libya's Defense Ministry, which now has to curb its spread.

The HIV expert stated he assessed highly the tone and the pace of the trial. According to Collizi, Wednesday's hearing was the right occasion for him and his colleague to explain the circumstances of the infection that afflicted some 400 Libyan children. The microbiologist revealed he had the opportunity to say what he intended.

"It is very difficult for anyone to accept the version of the prosecution now that it is clear the virus of AIDS is very aggressive and comes from Africa," Collizi reasoned. "There is no point in persisting with a crazy story."

Collizi stressed the report he compiled together with Prof. Montaigner on the case was very lucid. The paper shows it is long odds this was a classical hospital infection with an atypical virus strain originating from Africa. According to him, the possibility to modify this virus and inject it into a human body with a syringe is so slim that he could not believe one would think of such a thing.

The expert also pointed out that back when the epidemic started the Libyan medical authorities lacked information about AIDS to a degree that made them spot the infection not until many people were afflicted.

The next hearing of the Bulgarians' case is set for September 8 at the Benghazi Criminal Court.

Speaking to the Bulgarian National Radio on Thursday morning, three of the defendants -- nurses Kristiana Vulcheva, Nasya Nenova and Snezhana Dimitrova -- revealed they now hope to return home till the end of the year.