Malta calls for 'limited visas' for Libyans on Swiss blacklist

Malta has formally called on four other Mediterranean countries to join it in issuing limited visas to the 188 Libyan citizens blacklisted by Switzerland.

Currently Malta can issue visas which are valid only for the country, but regulations, established last year, will come into force on April 5 allowing a group of countries to issue visas valid to these nations.

This call is aimed at trying to solve the impasse with the North African country which has seen a number of citizens from Schen-gen countries, including Malta, refused entry into Libya.

Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg last week wrote to his Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese counterparts asking them to consider issuing limited territorial validity visas to the blacklisted Libyans.

He told the European members of the 5+5 group - that includes Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia and Libya - that this limited visa would be considered satisfactory by Libya.

Dr Borg has held meetings with EU ambassadors resident in Malta as well as representatives of the Libyan government, and explained he would be proposing the limited territory visa during a Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for Monday.

In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the invitation for the issuing of limited territory visas was open to all other Schengen countries.

The row between Switzerland and Libya started in 2008 when the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Hannibal, was arrested in Geneva. Although the charges were later dropped, Libya retaliated by arresting two Swiss men on visa charges. Then, a month ago, Switzerland blacklisted Libya's entire ruling elite, including the Libyan leader, which meant they could not be issued with Schengen visas.