Libya bars Europeans from entering country

  1. Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2010 - 15:50
    KingsleyKobo
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    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    Libya has suspended the issuing of visas to Europeans with an exemption to British nationals. No official explanation has been given and no confirmation has come from Libyan authorities either. But Italy's foreign ministry confirmed this development in a statement issued on their website.
    Gaddafi
    “Libyan authorities have confirmed the suspension of all types of visas for citizens of Schengen states. In addition, they have specified that citizens from Schengen states will be denied entry into Libya even if they are in possession of a visa, of whatever duration or type,” the statement read.

    The statement further explained that Libya was retaliating Switzerland’s recent decision to publish a blacklist of 180 Libyans banned from entering the country.

    Libya's Oea newspaper earlier reported that Libya would stop issuing visas to citizens of countries in the Schengen area, which includes non-EU member Switzerland.

    Last November, Switzerland asked the 25 European countries that make up the Schengen area to restrict visas to Libyan passport holders.

    Consequently, Libyan Prime Minister Baghadadi al-Mahmoudi and other senior officials were denied Schengen visas, a refusal that Libya's deputy prime minister, Khalid Kaim, vowed to retaliate.

    Both countries have been locked in a row over two Swiss businessmen who were prevented from leaving Libya by security forces, and were subsequently tried on visa violations.

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