Through coordinated work by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism and the Ministry for the Interior, Security and Employment, together with other entities and authorities, an evacuation plan was prepared and implemented so that the 38 Maltese who were caught in the ongoing tensions in Tripoli, Libya could be safely evacuated and returned to Malta.
Contact with these persons and assistance began immediately. Among others, through this plan, the authorities concerned carried out a plan with the assistance of the Libyan Law Enforcement Forces, which led the Maltese from Tripoli to Misurata. The Maltese began their journey on Thursday 15 May in the morning, and arrived in Misurata early in the afternoon.
There were no difficulties during this journey and the Maltese boarded a commercial flight from Misurata airport and arrived back in Malta. The evacuation was made possible by the work of the Maltese Ambassador to Libya, Charles Saliba and the Envoy of the Ministry for the Interior, Security and Labour in Libya, Colonel Alexander Dalli. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs requests Maltese citizens to avoid all travel to Libya during this period, until further instructions are issued. Maltese citizens in Libya who require Consular assistance should contact the Directorate for Consular Services and Maltese Living Abroad, by telephone on 22040000 or by email at consular.foreign@gov.mt.
Malta is committed to continuing its contribution so that Libya and the Mediterranean enjoy the stability, progress, security and peace that citizens in this region deserve. Malta is working towards peace and strengthening security in Libya and the Mediterranean at all levels, among others through bilateral talks with important partners in Libya and the region, through work among the Member States of the European Union, as well as through active participation in various initiatives related to this region within the United Nations and other European and international organisations.
