Malta has drawn the attention of the Libyan authorities to the lack of reciprocity on the efficiency of issuing visas for Maltese to visit Libya, Foreign Minister Tonio Borg said.
Replying to a parliamentary question by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, the minister said that the point was raised during the latest meeting of the Maltese-Libyan Joint Commission.
Multiple-entry visas and visas were taking a long time to be issued especially for trade purposes, in both normal and emergency situations, the minister said.
Dr Borg drew comparisons between Libya’s record and Malta’s efficiency in the issuing of visas for Libyans to visit Malta.
He said that thanks to the full cooperation of all departments involved in Malta, visas for Libyans to visit Malta took around four days under normal circumstances. Visas for Libyans to visit other Schengen countries took about the same time.