Foreign ministry denies reports of Tripoli embassy closure

The foreign ministry has denied media reports that Malta’s ambassador to Libya Mannie Galea has been declared a persona non grata by the Islamist-led government of Tripoli.

Libya is currently locked in a civil conflict which has generally been split over the configuration of two parliaments, with its government ‘in exile’ based in Tobruk and led by Prime Minister Al Thinni after being ousted from the capital of Tripoli.

“Ambassador Galea has been asked to come to Malta for consultations already some weeks ago as is usual practice. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Malta declares that as of now, there is no intention to send any Ambassador of Malta to Tobruk,” the government said.

It also denied that Malta intended closing down the embassy in Tripoli. “A Charge d’Affaires ad interim will be available during the Maltese Ambassador’s absence from Tripoli. The Embassy’s presence in Tripoli is an expression of the solidarity that the Maltese authorities have shown, and will continue to show, with the Libyan people. The Maltese authorities emphasize the fact that they have never, and will never, interfere in the internal affairs of Libya.”