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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6913658.stm, see also http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/07/24/bulgaria.nurses/index.html

The Bulgarian medics - the five nurses and the Palestinian intern with Bulgarian citizenship, who were detained in Libya and sentenced over the HIV outbreak - have been brought to Bulgaria and have landed in Sofia in 9:48 EET. Dr. Zdravko Georgiev, who had also been detained with the medics, although he was later found innocent, and EU Foreign Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner have arrived with the same plane.

In an address to the media, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov expressed his heartfelt satisfaction with the positive and long-awaited outcome. "The dramatic situation with the innocent, but convicted Bulgarian citizens is coming to its end," the President said.
Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev was among the people who met the medics at the VIP section of Sofia Airport. "The drama is over, you are home now, you are free people" Mr. Stanishev said to the six medics.

Less than an hour after the medics set foot in Bulgaria, Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin read the presidential pardon of the medics, and announced that from today they are free Bulgarian citizens. In addition, the minister has expressed his thanks to everyone involved in the negotiations, in particular to Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Mme. Cecilia Sarkozy.

The presidential press service issued a statement that confirmed the news, saying that "motivated by his profound belief in the innocence of the Bulgarian citizens, convicted in Libya, and making use of the constitutional power invested in him, the President of Bulgaria has issued an edict of pardon and pardoned their sentence." Attorney General Boris Velchev commented that as the Constitution gives the president the right of pardon, the Bulgarian judiciary will send the edict to Libya as soon as it receives. "Libya can have no further demands of the nurses... The case is closed," he said to members of the press.
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner welcomed the outcome, saying that this is a "day of joy for the Bulgarian people" which came about with the collective struggle of the EU. "Today we experience an incredible moment in Bulgaria, which is a member of the EU for only several months." The Commissioner noted the important role France played in the last critical moment. She also said that the release of the medics marks "a new page" in the relationship between Libya and the EU. The final negotiations allowed for further cooperation, and the ongoing visit of Nicolas Sarkozy will likely yield more.

Many commentators have spoken highly of the role of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, for their role in the last part of the negotiations. President Sarkozy, who will travel to Libya tomorrow, has received an invitation to visit Bulgaria this September by his counterpart, Georgi Parvanov. However, the involvement of the French presidential couple has received criticism over its high-profile visits in the end of the negotiations.

However, French socialists, with some support from anonymous Brussels officials, accuse him of trying to put as a personal feat the success of the entire EU community, which has worked on the case for the last three years. "I see that Mr. Sarkozy uses the "cuckoo strategy" through his wife," French MEP Pierre Moscovici (PES) recently said before the German TV channel RTL.

In response to the freeing of the medics, Sofia mayor Boiko Borisov and Sofia city council chairman Vladimir Kisyov have suggested that Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Nicolas and Cecilia Sarkozy be given honorary Sofia citizenship. The idea passed yesterday afternoon.

P.S.: The Palestinian, Ashraf Alhajouj, is said to be a doctor. AFAIK, he was an intern at the time of his capture, and has not received a degree since.

[ July 25, 2007, 11:23: Message edited by: The Shaman ]

 

It's good they're free. Now it's time to deal with the shape of the law process in Libya, since it was an obvious farce. Art. 14 para 2 ICCPR, anyone?

 

I am more incenced about Article 7.