Thursday, 11th March 2010 - 08:45CET
Foreign Minister holding visa talks in Libya
File picture - Foreign Minister Tonio Borg and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini (left) greet Libyan Foreign Minister Mousa Kousa.
Foreign Minister Tonio Borg is in Tripoli for talks with senior Libyan officials on the current controversy over the withholding of visas issued by Schengen area countries.
The controversy erupted in the middle of last month after Switzerland issued a Schengen blacklist of 188 senior Libyan officials, including Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Maltese workers have been among those barred entry to Libya. Workers who were already in Libya have had their stays extended as far as their visas allowed, because they could not be replaced by other workers. However, a worker currently in Libya told timesofmalta.com that he feared that his employer would bring in workers from non-Schengen countries if the dispute dragged on.
Malta and Italy have led European criticism of the Swiss blacklist decision and have jointly held meetings with Libyan Foreign Minister Mousa Kousa.
Both countries want to preserve the strong trade links they have with Libya. Apart from the large number of Maltese working in Libya, Malta between 2004 and 2008 exported €341m worth of products to Libya.
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.
LIBYA SAYS IT IS SEEKING SOLUTION
Meanwhile, Libya has complained that even the Libyan president of the U.N. General Assembly is among the officials listed on the Schengen blacklist and cannot travel to most European countries. Foremer Libyan Foreign Minister Ali Abdussalam Treki was appointed president of the General Assembly since last September.
The Libyan Ambassador to the U.N., Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgham said Libya was calling for an end to the visa ban for the people on the list and for both sides to resolve the dispute through arbitration mediated by a neutral country.
"We could have a solution, not to escalate everything," he told reporters in New York. "We want a solution."
Libyan relations with Switzerland broke down in mid-2008 with the arrest of a son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in a Geneva hotel on charges of mistreating two domestic servants.Those charges have since been dropped.
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Comments
How about senting a message to Switzerland and initiate a camgaign - STOP BUY SWISS!!!!!!!!! Started by the few Maltese Citizens and businesses, working or doing business in Libya.
I think it is only fair.
Or how about initiating collective legal action against Switzerland. Where is your spirit of solidarity. Now is the time to manifest unity as every persone in the world has the right for a living,
@ M Cassar
Is democracy a European monopoly or European prerogative? How far democracy could go please?
Please note this visa-row has not flared just last month as it may appear. This clash 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 people’s democratic rights? Would the EU keep mum? Would EU Human Rights apologists keep quite? I very much doubt!
The EU should deal with Switzerland with austerity, first for the abusing of Schengen rules and second for putting Human right related matters into referendum.
Our Minister is returning to Malta empty handed.
They stopped them entering their country.
Have they stopped the Libyans depositing their money in Swiss Banks?
I wonder.
I wish you luck my friend and hope you can get to your job soon.
Salam
joe the plumber
‘Meanwhile, Libya has complained that even the Libyan president of the U.N. General Assembly is among the officials listed on the Schengen blacklist and cannot travel to most European countries.’
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Do the Swiss really know what they are doing?
Now it is crystal clear the Swiss government is acting off diplomacy books. In fact the Swiss have set a dangerous precedent by using Schengen rules as a political tool.
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 Borg 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
I urge Dom Mintoff to put a finger in this matter to save lots of jobs and business between the two countries, I have no doubt that his word helps a lot in this matter.
@ M Cassar
Is democracy a European monopoly or European prerogative? How far democracy could go please?
Please note this visa-row has not flared just last month as it may appear. This clash 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 people’s democratic rights? Would the EU keep mum? Would EU Human Rights apologists keep quite? I very much doubt!
The EU should deal with Switzerland with austerity, first for the abusing of Schengen rules and using Schengen as a political tool. Second for putting Human right related matters into referendum.
Mark, I do empathise with you in this pathetic situation as a friend and as a past colleague.
It's about time that our foreign Minister do not leave one stone unturned and do something on a national scale to counteract this injurious act that the Swiss authorities have provoked.
Libya has always stood by Malta in many issues.Libya has invested a lot in our country and employ thousands of workers both in Malta and in Libya alike. There are also Maltese workers and their families who earn their living in Libya who have been caught in this
injust cause and may loose their employment and ultimately their likelihood.
I sincerely hope that Minister Tonio Borg put the interest of the Maltese and Malta before anyone else as no other country will make our ends meet.
I urge the Libyan government to treat Malta as a long-standing partner as we are victims in this stand.
To the Swiss government ; you have already done a lot of damage. Now it's high time to stop it and repair the damage. An apology is the least you can do to save face with the Shenghen countries and the rest of the World.