Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
No progress on Libya visa row
EU Justice Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom yesterday admitted there had been no progress in the spat between Libya and Switzerland despite continuing diplomatic efforts.
This means that citizens from the EU's Schengen area countries, Malta among them, still cannot enter Libya due to visa restrictions.
The issue was raised yesterday in Strasbourg by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil. He took the floor during a plenary debate in the European Parliament on new measures the EU will be introducing to facilitate the stay of third country nationals in EU member states.
Dr Busuttil appealed for the EU's direct intervention to solve the impasse, which, he said, was causing hardship to hundreds of Maltese who needed to travel to Libya for work.
He said it was ironic that while the EU was debating granting third country nationals more rights and longer stays within its territory its citizens were having difficulty travelling to Libya because of the ongoing dispute it had with Switzerland.
"While we are opening ourselves up further to third country nationals, and rightly so, we now have a dispute between two non-EU countries that is resulting in obstacles to the free movement of our own citizens.This cannot be right and the EU should move immediately," Dr Busuttil said.
He called for the urgent intervention of Ms Malmstrom in a bid to avoid further repercussions for workers who were unable to travel to Libya and for companies whose investments in Libya were at risk.
The commissioner said she was fully aware of the ongoing diplomatic dispute but had no news to give.
She reiterated her commitment to work for a breakthrough as soon as possible.
A few weeks ago, Libya decided that it would no longer recognise Schengen visas, thus denying access to nationals of the borderless zone.
The retaliatory move was made in the ongoing dispute with Switzerland following the arrest and interrogation of one of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's sons in that country.
Although a number of member states, including Germany, are mediating between the two countries, Col Gaddafi last week upped the stakes by calling for holy war against Switzerland.
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Martin Cassar
Mar 11th 2010, 17:39
@ J.Borg
Do you suggest we shun business with Muslim countries? Can we afford this? Are you serious?
Well, taking into consideration the consequences of the financial earthquake that have put the entire world at the edge of bankruptcy (Billions of $$$$ were spent on useless wars) thanks to the cataclysmic politics of former USA administration what you are saying is baloney and claptrap!
With 30.3 per cent of Malta’s FDI originated from Turkey (Muslim country) as reported on 16 October 2009 plus Malt’s biggest ever investment in IT sector originated from Dubai (another Muslim country not EU country).
Today’s Time of Malta
‘There is also considerable Libyan investment in Malta. Earlier this week, Libyan aircraft maintenance firm Medavia announced a €10.5m investment in a new hangar and other facilities at the aviation park in Safi’
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100311/local/foreign-minister-holding-visa-talks-in-libya
Here I could only read another message: When money talks, Lowell-ismists should keep the hysteria aside and only think of Malta’s interest.
J.Borg
Mar 10th 2010, 23:49
Why should we care ? We are not islamic we are christian and we need no buisiness with libya or any islamic country. The business we should be focusing on is in europe. Open your eyes please PM close visas to all libyans and stop being pushed around by Gaddafi.
Martin Cassar
Mar 10th 2010, 18:11
Can you envisage our reaction if a Maltese holding a diplomatic passport was arrested in Libya? What would have been the reaction if the Libyan government blacklists Dr. Gonzi or our president? What would have been the EU reaction if Dr Busuttil was banned to enter Libya? Again can we imagine what would have been the reaction if the Libyan government asked other Maghreb Union members to ban nationals from EU? Probably if something similar were to happen the reaction would have been a crusade not a mere Jihad...lol
This row has not flared last month as it seems.It goes much deeper and far beyond indeed. This dispute is however to put EU own values of human rights and democracy under severe test.
Can we just envisage what would have been the democratic west reaction if for instance Libya Iran or Egypt banned churches to have steeples?
Would we still be approving the Egyptians, Iranian or Libyan’s right of democracy?Would we still be siding with either the Iranians or the Egyptians or Libyans for using their peoples democratic rights? Would the EU keep mum?Would EU Human Rights apologists keep quite?I very much doubt!
Fabian Borg
Mar 10th 2010, 17:21
Two moves,
Out of EU,
Out of Schengen,
Problem solved.