Air passengers travelling to or from Malta from Monday will do so without the need of going through the customary passport control. In fact, 31 March marks the completion of Malta’s entry into the Schengen zone. To mark the occasion a tour of the airport was led by Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

The Schengen agreement – a treaty which abolishes border controls among the participating member states – allows passengers to travel between countries within the Schengen zone without necessitating passport checks on departure or arrival.

Malta joined the Schengen zone on 21 December 2007, when sea and land borders were eradicated. Nonetheless, air travel is still subject to the usual passport controls until tomorrow. As from Monday, these too will be abolished, and passengers travelling between Malta and other countries within the Schengen zone can do so without border checks.

The Malta International Airport – through a scheme dubbed the Schengen Implementation Project – has been busy preparing for this event, and has modified both the departure and arrival halls to accommodate the new regulations imposed by Malta’s entry into the Schengen zone. Separate halls for arrivals from Schengen and non-Schengen countries have been introduced, and four distinct boarding gates have been allocated to flights destined to non-Schengen areas.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici, who was shown round the new Schengen arrival hall, described Malta’s entry into the Schengen zone as a testament to the good work conducted by the Maltese people since Malta obtained EU membership.

“Joining the Schengen area was a challenge that demonstrates how Malta, despite its small size, is able to make its presence and influence felt throughout Europe. We, as a people, are equal to all other Europeans, and entry into the Schengen zone allows us to benefit from the same travelling rights as others,” he said.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici insisted that eradicating border controls does not constitute a security hazard, because it allows Malta to form part of a truly integrated Europe, where unobstructed travel is considered a right.