European justice commissioner Franco Frattini called on Libya to re-consider the death sentences that the court of Tripoli issued for the five Bulgarian nurses charged with on December 19 2006.

During its December 19 sitting the court confirmed previously issued death sentences. The lwaywers of the Bulgarians can appeal the verdicts before Libya's Supreme Court.

Reuters news agency quoted Frattini as saying that his first reaction to the new verdicts was of great disappointment and shock.

Frattini said that he hoped Libyan authorities would find a way to re-consider the verdicts.

The current situation could be an impediment to the co-operation between the EU and Libya, he said.

The Bulgarians' verdicts were a negative message for the EU, Frattini said as quoted by Reuters. Frattini said that he could not imagine the verdicts carried out.

Libya accused five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian medic of the deliberate HIV infection of 426 children in 1999. Libyan court sentenced the six for the first time to death by firing squad in May 2004.