7,000 visas to Algerian nationals have Police, Interpol and Schengen visa system clearance

The 7,000 visas issued in 18 months to Algerian nationals represented just half of the applications received and they all enjoyed the clearance of the police, the Interpol and the Schengen visa system.

Speaking during the ‘Government That Listens’ (Gvern Li Jisma) campaign, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella lambasted scaremongering reports built on baseless allegations.

The Opposition has called for an explanation on how so many visas were issued in a relatively short timeframe. However, Vella said that he wasn’t impressed by the figures because it only represented half of the applications submitted.

He also said that France had not sent back to Malta any of the individuals granted a visa and it had “no concerns of non-desirable elements” from Malta. Reports published by the PN media claimed that there existed suspicions of “ISIS terrorists who were granted visas and reached France through Malta”.

“The issuance of visas is a complicated and controlled process, working regularly with the Police, the Interpol and the Schengen visa system. If these agencies refuse the clearance, the visa is not issued. If they approve the clearance, the consulate can still refuse the visa.”

Vella said it was a fictitious assertion to claim that terrorists reached France through Malta, more so because the French embassy itself and the Schengen system is involved in the processing of visas. If there had indeed been a problem, the individuals would have been returned back.

“Those making the accusations have not come up with proof. Every report we receive is passed on to the Police and, so far, the Police have never returned back with anything.”

On Libya, Vella said the conflict had been of serious concern for Malta, not only from a business point of view – several Maltese investors had to close shop – but also because of the uncertainty created in the region.

“Whilst we followed the international sphere in recognising the Tobruk government, we never ignored the Tripoli side,” he said.

Vella was of the opinion that UN special envoy Bernardino Leon should have left his role after the fifth draft. “He started giving everything to everyone,” he said, adding that meanwhile, local councils and militias were coming to their own agreement.

“We might be close to an agreement without even knowing it.”

The Foreign Affairs Minister also shed light on why the European Union had been reluctant to confirming whether Libya were to take up in the Valletta Summit, eventually represented by the deputy prime minister of the Tobruk side.

The Tobruk side was sent an invitation in July to attend the seniors official meeting without realising that the government’s mandate was to expire in October. The EU was set to withdraw the invitation, but Malta insisted otherwise, warning that it would only make matters worse.

“There is a level of sensitivity that the EU hasn’t yet grasped about Libya.”

He hailed the Valletta Summit for having been the first ever conference between Europe and Africa that focused solely on migration, laying down an action plan with an ambitious 12-month timeline.

“The fact that it was held in Malta gave a certain reassurance that we do not have any ulterior motives, but peace in the region,” Vella said, adding that the amount of African heads of state or government that attended was in itself a vote of confidence in the summit.

Vella reiterated that it was important to control irregular migration by creating safe and legal chances of migration. The root causes that forced thousands to flee their homes were several and varied.

“My only hope is that what was pledged is implemented and this needs both sides to do their part.” He encouraged African countries to, among others, fight corruption.

Vella went on to add that €1.8 billion pledged for the emergency trust fund was in a reality a drop in the ocean when considering what was required. However, in all, the EU gives close to €10 billion in various other funds and other development aid.

“More important than allocating money is how these are spent, and ensuring that they don’t end up in the pockets of corrupt governments,” he said, adding that it was thus important that funds are distributed to organisations such as the IOM and the UNHCR.