Sarkozy gets Bulgaria's top award

Mr Sarkozy was praised in Sofia for his "decisive actions"

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been awarded Bulgaria's highest honour for his role in the release of six Bulgarian medics from a jail in Libya.

Mr Sarkozy received the Stara Planina medal from Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanov during a visit to Sofia.

Mr Sarkozy said his wife Cecilia, who played a key part in the release, did not go to Sofia because of controversy in France surrounding the case.

The medics had been sentenced to death for infecting Libyan children with HIV.

They spent nearly nine years in a Libyan jail, maintaining their innocence throughout their captivity.

Their case triggered an international outcry.

Cecilia Sarkozy travelled to Libya to broker the medics' release and accompanied them back to Bulgaria on a French presidential plane in July.

The day after their release, Mr Sarkozy flew to Tripoli to sign major trade agreements with the Libyan government.

Opposition Socialists in France have since asked if the release of the Bulgarian detainees formed part of the package of deals agreed with Libya.

Mr Sarkozy has denied any such link.