Malta’s travel amber list has remained unchanged despite European Union member states agreeing to lift restrictions on travellers from eight countries from outside the bloc.

EU officials and diplomats said on Wednesday the whitelist of countries exempted from a travel ban will be Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Lebanon, the US, Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong.

Once the list is approved, the recommendation is that a ban is lifted, even though member states could still impose restrictions on those entering the different countries.

Updates to Malta’s amber list were announced on Tuesday and will come into force on Thursday but the government has not yet announced any further changes in line with the EU’s latest position.

Discriminated against as they were being kept away from their families

The changes to Malta’s list saw the inclusion of Israel and 40 American states and territories while those with a Maltese vaccine certificate may also return from 27 other countries that are currently on Malta’s red list.

Some of these 27 countries, namely Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Taiwan, are among those added to the EU’s whitelist.

In recent weeks, the health authorities have justified keeping certain countries off Malta’s safe list by pointing to the EU’s position as a reason behind their decision.

In the case of Serbia and North Macedonia, for instance, public health chief Charmaine Gauci has repeatedly said the two countries continue to be left off the list because travel to the two Balkan nations was banned by the European Union.

In Malta, thousands have rallied behind a petition calling on the authorities to rethink this decision, saying they were being discriminated against as they were being kept away from their families abroad.

The Serbians and Macedonians in the country who signed the petition have also argued the decision made no sense as infection numbers in the two Balkan nations have been low for weeks.

Although the Serbian and Macedonian residents of Malta who are in possession of a vaccine certificate may travel as from Thursday, the change to the EU rules goes a step further as it also allows all types of travellers between the two countries and member states.

Times of Malta contacted the government to establish whether there will be any changes in line with the proposed EU updates but questions were not answered.

As for the US, so far, Malta has only allowed travel between the island and 40 American states and territories while the EU will allow travel between Europe and all 50 states.

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