Bulgaria PM-to-Be Borisov: We Paid USD 100 M for Medics Freedom

The Mayor of Sofia and incoming Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Boyko Borisov, spoke about the medics' case during the opening of a new sports field in Sofia’s Bankya suburb. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria has paid USD 100 M for the freedom of the Bulgarian medics, according to Bulgaria's incoming Prime Minister (PM), Boyko Borisov.

Borisov spoke Friday in connection with the second anniversary of the release from Libyan jail of the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor, who spend eight years behind bars over accusations of having purposely infected 400 Libyan children with HIV. They were sentenced to dead twice, but were released on July 24, 2007, to serve a life sentence in Bulgaria. President Parvanov pardoned them one hour after they arrived in the country.

"The freedom of the Bulgarian medics cost the country USD 100 M. For this amount even the Iraqis are going to release hostages. The Bulgarian society stood firmly on the side of the medics during difficult times, but everyone must know that in order to prove themselves, to brag that they have solved the problem, the Bulgarian government then actually paid a racket of over USD 10 M per person," Borisov said.

All those involved in the diplomatic dilemma deny that a ransom has been paid for the release of the medics. Bulgaria's President, Georgi Parvanov, the then PM Sergey Stanishev, the EU's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and the French side, including the former French First Lady, Cecilia Sarkozy and Elysee Secretary General Claude Guéant, who negotiated the release never admitted that there has been a ransom either.

The documentation regarding the negotiations is classified and will remain such for the next 18 years.

The suspicion about the ransom has been mainly triggered by the strange involvement of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, in the case. Just before the medics' release he, allegedly, wired an undetermined amount of money to the account of the Libyan-based Association for the Families of HIV-Infected Children. There are also rumors  that Qatar has been just another negotiator while huge amounts were paid by the EU and Bulgaria. The allegations have never been officially confirmed by evidence.

 

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