VZCZCXRO8981
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSF #1683/01 3531420
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 191420Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2976
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SOFIA 001683 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE MNORDBERG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM LBY BU LBY
SUBJECT: OUTRAGED BULGARIA CONDEMNS LIBYAN DEATH SENTENCES OF 
NURSES, BLASTS THE TRIAL AS CORRUPT 
 
Ref: (A) Tripoli 0634, (B) Sofia 01230 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Bulgaria predictably reacted with shock and 
outrage to the Tripoli Criminal Court decision to confirm the death 
sentences of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused 
of deliberately infecting more than 400 Libyan children with HIV. 
Although largely expected, the decision triggered a stormy reaction 
in Bulgaria where top politicians, who so far have tried to use 
restraint on this sensitive issue, used their harshest language so 
far to blast the Libyan move as political and corrupt.  The 
President, the Prime Minister and politicians of all party stripes 
urged the Libyan state to release the medics and appealed for strong 
international reaction to further strengthen pressure on Libya. END 
COMMENT 
 
PRESIDENT, PM ISSUE HARSH STATEMENT, CALL CASE "CORRUPT" 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2. (U) FM Kalfin, in Washington for meetings with senior USG 
officials, issued the first statement; tough but comparatively 
tight.  Public statements became stiffer as the day progressed.  In 
a rare joint statement, Bulgaria's two top statesmen, President 
Georgi Parvanov and PM Sergei Stanishev condemned the Libyan Court's 
decision and rejected the death sentences.  "The indisputable 
evidence of the innocence of the medics was once again not 
considered.  The position of the international scientific community 
was neglected.  The multiple violations of the human rights of our 
compatriots were not registered. 
All these facts give us ground to define this whole trial as 
corrupt," said the statement.  The document called on Libyan 
authorities to interfere immediately, to revise and reject "these 
absurd sentences," and to release the Bulgarian medics and the 
Palestinian doctor.  The two politicians appealed to the 
international community to "categorically condemn the decision of 
the court and to call on Libyan authorities for the immediate 
release of the nurses." 
¶3. (U) After his initial statement (at around 0500 EDT), Foreign 
Minister Ivailo Kalfin, speaking to reporters from Washington, said 
the Libyan court's decision was "disappointing and outrageous".  He 
noted that the Libyan court had disregarded the findings of the 
international experts about the origin of the HIV virus.  "We 
understand the tragedy of the infected children and their families. 
However, the Libyan state should get involved in the resolution of 
this case.  We are going to use all possible means to make this 
trial come to an end," said Kalfin.  He reiterated Sofia's official 
position that compensation was "out of the question." "Although we 
sympathize deeply with the sick children and their families, we are 
confident that there is no connection between their tragedy and the 
Bulgarian nurses" he said. Kalfin noted that the U.S. has always 
been strongly supportive on the matter. 
¶4. (U)  "We cannot accept a court decision that disregards clear 
facts confirmed by the latest research of leading world experts, 
which rejects any connection between the activity of the Bulgarian 
nurses and the AIDS epidemic in the children's hospital in 
Benghazi," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a formal 
statement.  "We are also convinced that any claims of a link between 
this tragedy and the work of the Bulgarian nurses and the 
Palestinian doctor is absolutely groundless and is misleading the 
Libyan nation and the families affected," said the statement. 
 
MPS OF ALL STRIPES BLAST THE VERDICT AS POLITICAL 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
¶5. (U) In a rare consensus among Bulgarian politicians, MPs from all 
parties blasted the death sentences as a political move by Tripoli 
motivated largely by internal political reasons, and called for an 
international campaign for the medics' release.  "Today's court 
ruling has clearly demonstrated that the Libyan courts are not 
independent, but working to defend a political regime that is 
struggling for its future," said Evgeni Kirilov, an MP from the 
ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party.  "The death sentences show the 
case is clearly a political issue," said Christian Vigenin, another 
Socialist MP.  Vigenin called on the EU, which Bulgaria is to join 
on January 1, to undertake specific actions with regard to the case. 
 He also noted the important role the U.S. has played in supporting 
Bulgaria on the case.  The center-right party of ex-PM Ivan Kostov 
termed the sentences "a monstrous atrocity."  "It has become 
absolutely clear that Bulgaria is confronting a certain political 
model and from now on, all means for reaching a favorable solution 
on the case should be political," the center-right party said, 
adding that the government has been naive to believe that Libya 
could hold a fair and transparent trial.  In a joint declaration, 
Parliament urged the international community to condemn the court's 
decision and join the appeal for Libya to release the defendants 
immediately. "The death sentences cannot and should not be carried 
out.  The Bulgarian MPs demand the immediate release of the 
Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor," said the declaration. 
 
 
BULGARIA "PARTS WITH HYPOCRISY" 
 
SOFIA 00001683  002 OF 002 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Even Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev, known for his moderate 
and careful wording, was uncharacteristically harsh, saying the 
ruling was not based on any legal evidence. "I know the 
circumstances surrounding this case. I know very well that not a 
single fact warrants sentencing the Bulgarian medics.  The ruling 
has nothing to do with the law."  Velchev also vowed that Bulgaria 
will undertake legal actions against those who have tortured the 
Bulgarian nurses while in Libyan prison.  "Today's death sentences 
showed that Libya has nothing in common with the law."  He said 
today's developments showed Bulgaria should part with its hypocrisy 
on the case and abandon expectations that there could be a fair and 
transparent trial. 
 
 
¶7. (U) Leading Bulgarian specialists on Arabic matters commented 
that that a favorable solution on the case could come only as a 
result of increased international pressure on Libya, but remained 
skeptical about the prospects for a quick solution given the 
internal political situation in Libya.  Bulgarian jurists said they 
were shocked by the "impudence of the Libyan court", which has 
upheld the death sentences by using compromised evidence presented 
by the prosecutors containing numerous unclear references and 
factual mistakes. 
 
¶8. (U) EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said "It is a great 
disappointment" and that he was "shocked by this decision" to hand 
down the death penalties to the nurses and a Palestinian doctor. 
Frattini, also a Commission vice president, added "I strongly hope 
that the Libyan authorities will rethink this decision" which he 
described as "an obstacle to cooperation with the EU". 
 
¶9. (SBU) All of this comes against a backdrop of private individuals 
and NGOs organizing spontaneous demonstrations across the country in 
support of the medics - something that doesn't happen often in this 
society. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) We have urged several Bulgarian officials in the past few 
weeks to moderate their statements.  This strong reaction by 
Bulgarian leaders reflects pent-up frustration and acknowledgement 
that the Bulgarian public has had enough.  During recent years the 
Bulgarian government and people have shown a great deal of 
compassion and solidarity towards the fate of the infected children 
and their families.  The government now faces a determined public. 
It still has some room for maneuver, but the tolerances are very 
tight. 
KARAGIANNIS