Malta urges EU presidency to tighten sanctions against Mugabe

Malta has called on the French EU presidency to tighten existing sanctions against Zimbabwe's "illegitimate government", Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said.

In view of Mr Mugabe's campaign of violence, involving the killing of children, Malta decided to join other countries in extending the list of individuals who are restricted from freely entering the European Union due to having close ties with Mr Mugabe's regime, the government said. This list of individuals, who require the unanimous consensus of EU member states before being allowed entry, has been extended from 131 to 172 individuals.

Dr Borg also referred to the arrest of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, saying this was welcomed by the European Council of Ministers, deeming the arrest an important step that proved the Serbian government's commitment to Europe. This, Dr Borg said, will lead to the swift implementation of an agreement on financial and economic assistance between Serbia and the EU.

Malta also expressed support for the Ukraine's request to form an Association Agreement with the EU, thus forging closer ties with Brussels.