Brussels, Belgium (GenevaLunch) - The European Commission reacted to Libya’s ban on visas for Schengen residents by saying it will meet later in the week to discuss the abrupt decision by Muammar Qadaffi’s government. Cecilia Malmstroem of Sweden, the commissioner for home affairs, provided a more immediate response: “The European Commission deplores the unilateral and disproportionate decision by Libyan authorities to suspend the delivery of visas to EU Schengen countries’ citizens. The commission also regrets that travelers who legally obtained visas before the suspension measure were refused entry when arriving in Libya.”

It is unclear if the move includes diplomats, but there are reports that people arriving in Tripoli with visas are being refused entry at the airport.

The visa ban appears to be in retaliation for an unconfirmed ban on travel to Switzerland, a member of the Schengen area, by close to 200 Libyans. Switzerland has not issued any information along these lines and the Swiss government has refused to confirm the information, which was reported by a Libyan newspaper generally considered close to one of Qadaffi’s sons.

Bern’s silence is in keeping with its policy on information relating to an ongoing dispute with Libya over two businessmen who are being held in the country. Rashid Hamdani had charges against him dropped 7 February, but he is still unable to leave the country and Max Goeldi had charges against him reduced a week later, but he, too, remains captive in Libya. The two were arrested in July 2008 but only much later charged with avoiding taxes and having improper visas and work papers. Their arrest came shortly after Hannibal Qadaffi, son of the country’s leader, was arrested and quickly released in Geneva over an incident involving his household staff at a five-star  hotel in Geneva. Background stories, Geneva Lunch

Switzerland in November 2009 openly tightened its visa policy for Libyans, who have access to the entire Schengen area once they are in Switzerland. The move was designed to put pressure on Muammar Qadaffi, who had in August offered Switzerland’s president  his personal assurances that the two Swiss would be freed rapidly.

The new move by Libya leaves the Irish and British free to visit Libya, as non-Schengen countries, but it has sparked an Italian diplomat to lash out at Switzerland for holding the rest of the Schengen area group of 25 countries hostage to Swiss diplomacy. Italy has strong economic ties with its former colony Libya, and relations have improved in recent months, following an apology by Italy for its behaviour during the colonial period.

France reacted Monday by strongly urging its citizens not to travel to Libya, even if they held valid visas.

Links to other sites: Guardian, La Stampa (Ita), Le Temps (Fre), TSR (Fre), Turkish Weekly

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