Foreign Minister Michael Frendo denied claims made by his predecessor as foreign minister when writing on The Sunday Times.

Writing on The Sunday Times on 11 June, former Foreign Minister John Dalli wrote: "In the past few weeks, new procedures were instituted in our consular office in Libya which is harassing Libyans who apply for visas to come to Malta. These procedures are not even followed by embassies of Schengen countries. On whose initiative were these policies adopted? Who is insisting on these policies: is it the Foreign Minister or the Interior Ministry?"

Replying to a Leo Brincat question on the subject, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo yesterday denied that any new measure or procedure has been put in place and is leading to delays in the issuing of visas by the Maltese consulate. The consulate in Tripoli receives an average 60 applications for visas every working day. When the article in question appeared, the procedures regulating the issuing of visas had been in place since 5 May 2004. In a general way, every application for a visa gets a reply within four days.

The minister added that from time to time the ministry conducts a review exercise regarding the issuing of visas to ensure that the process is kept as regular as possible. The last simplified revision of procedures was put in place on 5 May 2004 and was aimed at facilitating the movement of peoples between Malta and Libya.

Forum Malta fl-Ewropa CEO resigns

The Forum Malta fl-Ewropa, which has only recently been set up, has already lost its first CEO.

Sylvia Sciberras has offered her resignation and the last time she attended work there was on 6 May, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo told Leo Brincat.

The minister said Ms Sciberras has many commitments outside Malta as she is involved in EESC. She was asked to decide between her post at Forum Malta fl-Ewropa and her commitments outside Malta.

Before joining Forum Malta, the minister added, Ms Sciberras had committed herself to reduce her commitments outside Malta.

Losses at Sapport

Between August 2001 and June this year, Agenzija Sapport has lost the services of nine professional support workers, 63 support workers, two supervisors, and one service area leader, one social worker, one house leader and one administrative clerk.

Nine other employees were transferred to other bodies and a further 35 did not have their contract of service renewed (20 because they were not found to be of standard, six after disciplinary procedures and nine part-timers since they were not putting in the required number of hours.

Agenzija Sapport presently employs 63 full-time employees, 71 part-time and three on full time with reduced hours.

Parliament expresses condolences

Justice Minister Tonio Borg and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant yesterday expressed their condolences to the family and relatives of former Labour MP Joe Baldacchino who passed away last week at the age of 83.