The Foreign Ministry has informed in details the relatives of the detained Bulgarian medics in Libya about everything that concerns the fact that the medics have been moved from the prison “Judeyda” to a guarded house, Elena Poptodorova, foreign ministry spokeswoman announced.
She neither repudiated, nor confirmed the possibility that Seif al-Islam, son of the Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and chairman of the “Qaddafi” foundation to pay official visit to Bulgaria at the coming sitting the Bulgarian-Libyan Mixed Committee in February. At her last briefing as spokeswoman of the foreign ministry before becoming Bulgaria’s ambassador to the United States, Elena Poptodorova said that the news from Libya should be appreciated.
She explained that since written confirmation for the fact that Bulgarians have been moved out of the prison has not been received, it can still be spoken with certain level of relativity. She added that most probably the expenses for the move will be covered by foundation “Qaddafi.”
On February 4th, the six Bulgarian medics, charged with intentionally infecting Libyan children with HIV, have been accommodated in a house under guard, Foreign Minister Passy announced. The house has four rooms, living room, kitchen, yard, which will substantially improve the living conditions of the Bulgarians. After the medics have been moved from the Libyan prison Judeyda, they are practically in non-prison conditions, Passy explained. The family Zdravko and Kristina Georgievi will be able to live together too after almost three years of separation. The decision has been taken after the insisting intervention of the “Qaddafi” foundation, the minister pointed out.
The Bulgarian medics had all necessary conveniences, it emerged after a conversation between them and Foreign Minister Passy on February 6th. Passy went out of the meeting with high-ranking officials in Brussels, where he accompanied President Parvanov to talk to the medics. He talked separately with each one of them. They asked him to present on their behalf gratitute to foundation "Qaddafi” and especially to Seif al-Islam.
The relaxation of the detention conditions of six Bulgarian medical workers accused of intentionally infecting 393 Libyan children with AIDS was seen as a positive signal in Bulgaria.
President Georgi Parvanov, who is on an official visit to Brussels, expressed the hope that this change signalled a positive just decision in the future.
Bulgarian Embassy representatives have not met with the accused so far, said Petko Dimitrov, head of the Foreign Ministry's Middle East and Africa Directorate. The existing arrangements for weekly visits by an embassy representative are likely to remain, Dimitrov said.
Vladimir Sheitanov, the Bulgarian lawyer of the six accused,called their move from Judeyda prison to a guarded area "a very happy event in the Bulgarians' life". Dr
Ivan Nenov, nurse Nassya Nenova's husband, said the news that the Bulgarians had been moved from prison to a house was a positive result achieved by all people involved in the trial. "To me this is a sign of a change in the attitude of the Libyan court to the detained Bulgarians," Nenov said.
Tsvetana Siropoulo, nurse Valentina Siropoulo's sister-in-law, also commented on the good news. "This is good, but it does not make their fate easier at all and if there is some postponement and a petition to a court of appeals, we will have to wait for those later dates," she said.
Marian Georgiev, Dr Zdravko Georgiev's son, was the most pessimistic of all, approached for comment: "It is still early days to be happy. This does not mean a thing. It is nothing compared to what has been done to them," Georgiev said.
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