Vladimir Chukov: Bulgaria can apply some practices from relations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel in Bulgarian medics’ caseThe Arabian scholar Vladimir Chukov in an interview with FOCUS News Agency

FOCUS: Mr. Chukov, was the Libyan Foreign Ministry’s memorandum expected?
Vladimir Chukov: I think it was an expected reaction. Generally, all the diplomatic moves, which the Libyan authorities took after our strong reaction, were parallel to ours. We mobilized our allies, friends and partners, and so did they. I mean that Libya made many serious steps to mobilize the Arab states, the countries from the African continent, where Libya has many serious positions.
The memorandum has come to show that Libya doesn’t plan to acknowledge the mistake of justice, doesn’t plan to comply with the obvious evidence provided by the international authorities. I must also say that Libya made a very serious step towards politicizing the trial. Let’s remember – the first reaction of a top statesman was Muammar Gaddafi’s one still before the death sentences were passed. After that, Libya’s parliament was the first to come up with a declaration on the trial still at the beginning of January last year. Only then, after the obviously unjust ruling, the Bulgarian institutions’ reactions followed. So, a spiral of a political dialogue was formed. Bulgaria has to create very clearly and definitely a new module of these relations. I already mentioned that the essence of the bilateral relations has to be reviewed. The trial has led to such an erosion of the bilateral relations that, in practice, there is not a whit of trust between the two partners. Next year, Bulgaria has to consider very seriously what it will do.

FOCUS: After the death sentences against the Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor were confirmed, Bulgaria’s tone became harsher. Was it a proper move? It seems that the Bulgarian society is divided into two about Bulgaria’s policy on Libya – a harsh or a soft approach in the dialogue.
Vladimir Chukov: Bulgaria is a democratic state. In a democratic state, the public opinion, the public consensus should dictate the actions of the foreign policy mechanism. I have mentioned many times that we have to conduct public opinion polls every year. A poll on the Libyan case should have been carried out. The public opinion on the issue should have been a very strong factor in the decision-making. In the first years of the trial almost no one remembered it. Afterwards, it started to flicker and the West learnt about it. Now the Bulgarian society is too radicalized and I doubt a lot that the second approach is dominating. However, a public opinion poll has to be conducted. However, having in mind the development of the case, adequate measures need to be taken – just because the Bulgarian public opinion necessitates them. At present, there is an ongoing dialogue between the Bulgarian public opinion, which mobilizes the European and the world opinions against the Libyan state.

FOCUS: Do you think that Bulgaria has made any mistake about the case?
Vladimir Chukov: I think Bulgaria’s behavior has been good. But it’s not enough. We have a new situation. The altered situation and attitudes, the altered national interests demand new means. So, the President, the Prime Minister, the Government, the Parliament, the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, and the interdepartmental commission should work out a united tactics, which should be implemented by all the levels of the foreign policy mechanism. Groups of experts should be set up, too.
I have mentioned many times the possible tactical approaches. Generally speaking, on the basis of the internationalization, we can apply some practices of the Middle East, that is, some practices from the relations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. They are holding talks, but in the meantime, there are different levels of war between them, including a judicial war. I will give you an example with a Libyan public figure. The head of the Libyan reconnaissance is being tried over terror charges in Italy. He is seriously ill and last year he was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Rome. They told him he should stay only in the hospital or 300 meters around it. Otherwise, he would come within the provisions of the Italian law.
Colonel Gaddafi also wants to pay a visit next year to Brussels. He said long ago that he wanted to meet with Jacque Chirac.
But I don’t think the Bulgarian President Parvanov plans to make a trip to the African states.
Obviously, the responsibility should be assumed by all politicians who are in charge the case, by the ones who hold the political decision and, after all, the ones who have the budget, which we are all contributing to. This is the money of the Bulgarian taxpayers. So, there are different levels of responsibility.

Nikola LALOV