Only half of the Algerian applicants for a visa were granted one, Foreign Minister George Vella said this evening.

Reacting to a statement by PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami that nearly 7,000 visas were issued to Algerian people in 18 months and they were using these visas to proceed to mainland Europe, Dr Vella said that if Dr Fenech Adami had any information of wrong doing he should go to the police because he had none.

Dr Vella, who was speaking during the Budget debate, pointed out that anyone with a Schengen visa could go anywhere in the Schengen area.