HIV medics released to Bulgaria

Tuesday, 24 July 2007, 08:56 GMT 09:56 UK

Six Bulgarian medics who were serving life sentences in Libya have arrived in Bulgaria following their release, ending their eight-year incarceration.They were immediately pardoned by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.

The five nurses and a Palestinian-born doctor were convicted of deliberately infecting Libyan children with HIV - charges they have always denied.An EU official told the BBC the release had been made possible by a deal struck in Tripoli on improving Libya-EU ties.

It comes after years of efforts by the European Commission, with the EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, making numerous trips to Libya, meeting the prisoners and working to improve the conditions for hundreds of children with HIV/Aids.