Libië in onmin met EU door reisverbod Europeanen (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Monday (15 February) deplored Libya's "unilateral and disproportionate" decision to deny entry for almost all EU citizens, the latest move in a diplomatic row with Switzerland over the brief arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's troublemaker son, Hannibal.
Tripoli's blockade affects all travelers from countries in Europe's 'Schengen' visa-free area, which includes Switzerland, Iceland and Norway thought they remain outside the European Union. Great Britain, Ireland, Romania and Bulgaria, which are in the EU, are not however part of this arrangement.
The issue will be discussed before the end of the week by the countries involved, together with the EU executive, to "consider the appropriate reaction," home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom i said in a statement.
The diplomatic row between Libya and Switzerland started in July 2008, when Swiss authorities in Geneva arrested the son of the Libyan leader, Hannibal Gaddafi, following a complaint of assault from two of their staff. He was released on bail after two days in custody, but Tripoli subsequently placed a boycott on Swiss imports, forced its companies out of the country and stopped issuing visas for its citizens.
Geneva retaliated and blacklisted him and his family, along with other Libyan officials.
At a summit of the eight most industrialised countries in Italy last year, the Libyan strongman called Switzerland a "world mafia" and said it should be split between France, Germany and Italy.
His 33-year old son, however, has continued to make headlines in the European media.
In December, London police was called to his hotel after staff heard a scream from his room. Libyan model Aline Skaf, now his wife, was rushed to the hospital with a broken nose and the face covered in blood. She did not press charges and said she suffered the injuries in a fall. But back in 2005, when she was dating him, she filed an assault suit for which he was fined and given a four-month suspended prison sentence.
The young Mr Gaddafi also notoriously attacked three Italian policemen with a fire extinguisher and speeded a Porsche in the wrong direction along the Champs Elysees.
Italy, one EU country affected by the decision, defended the petrol-rich African country and blamed the escalation on Switzerland. Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini i said Geneva was "holding EU citizens hostages" to this row and it should not solve this "bilateral issue" at the expense of others.
Rome last year signed a special partnership agreement with Tripoli, during Mr Gaddafi's visit to the peninsula, focused on the returns of migrants crossing the Mediterranean in their search for asylum in Europe.
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