Bulgaria urges more help for Libyan HIV children

Bulgaria's president yesterday called for more efforts to help hundreds of Libyan children infected with HIV in a case in which five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor have been sentenced to death.

The medics were found guilty of deliberately infecting the children. Speaking to the European Parliament, Georgi Parvanov said a "just solution" was needed.

"We greatly appreciate the commitment and compassion of the European Institutions to the children affected by this tragedy and to their families," Mr Parvanov told lawmakers.

However he added that "more active, more intensive action" was needed to boost an international fund set up to help ensure the victims received the treatment they needed.

Mr Parvanov thanked international oil firms for contributing to the fund, but added that this had been a "token participation".

"We are expecting that the just solution will be a high priority on the agenda of the European community," he said.

EU newcomer Bulgaria and its allies say overwhelming scientific evidence backs statements by the nurses and doctor that they are innocent. But Libya has remained defiant, saying others should not interfere with its courts.

The European parliament last month urged EU states to review ties with Libya and step up pressure to secure the release of the six. But EU member states preferred to hold out the prospect of better ties to Libya if the medics were freed.

The families of the victims have demanded €10 million per child in compensation from Bulgaria which, under Islamic law, would allow them to pardon the nurses.

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said last month the European Commission had contributed €2.4 million to the fund.

A senior Bulgarian prosecutor said on Wednesday that Bulgaria would try 11 Libyan police officers in absentia on charges of torturing the nurses to obtain confessions.