Tripoli, January 22: Libya plans to tighten its visa rules for citizens of some European countries in retaliation for its own citizens being denied European visas, a senior official said on Thursday.
The move would come into force “in a few days”.
The official said the stricter rules would apply to citizens of European countries that are part of the Schengen pact, which allows travellers to obtain a single visa that is good for travel to 24 European states.
Tripoli “will harden conditions for granting visas to businessmen, the executives of European companies operating in Libya and citizens of certain other nations,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
He said the measures were being taken because most Libyan applications for visas to Schengen area states are turned down.
In November, Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim noted that most Libyan applications for Schengen visas were rejected, and threatened similar action against citizens of some Schengen states.
The visa wars began after Libyan leader’s son Hannibal Gathafi and his pregnant wife Aline were arrested at a luxury Geneva hotel in July 2008, following mistreatment complaints by two of their servants.
The Gathafis were freed on bail after two days in custody, and the complaint against them was dropped.
But the incident sparked outrage from the Gathafi family. It led to a freeze on Swiss business, the withdrawal of Libyan assets from Swiss banks and disruption to oil deliveries.
And Bern adopted a restrictive policy of Schengen visas to Libyan officials.
Two Swiss businessmen were also prevented from leaving Libya. Currently holed up at the Swiss embassy, they are accused of illegal business activities.
Last November, the pair were also sentenced in absentia to 16-month jail terms for overstaying their Libyan visas — verdicts they have appealed.
—Agencies