The European Commission finds the confirmation of the death sentences of the nurses unacceptable, European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said.

The decision is extremely negative, he said, as quoted by Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

European Commission for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that she hoped that the court would show mercy to the medics.

European Parliament (EP) president Hans-Gert Poettering said that he was deeply worried by the news that the verdicts had been confirmed. He said that the verdicts’ confirmation was not the end of the appeal process. The EP believed that authorities in Libya would take the steps required to overrule the sentences.

Reuters quoted Libyan foreign minister Abdel Rahman Mohammed Shalgam as saying that the supreme judicial council would meet on July 16 to discuss whether to confirm, overrule or commute the sentences.

Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov called on Libyan authorities to achieve a fast resolution to enable the release of the medics, Reuters said.