Panafrican News Agency

Maltese airline to launch first Valletta-Tripoli flight on Monday

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Maltese airline, Medavia, will launch its first direct flight between Valletta and Maitigua airports in Tripoli on Monday, Libyan government spokesperson Mohamed Hamouda announced.

In a post on his official Facebook page on Thursday, Hamouda said the move was "the culmination of the efforts of the  Government of National Unity to reopen Libyan airspace with the world, and after the signing of cooperation agreements between the Libyan and Maltese transport ministries during the first visit of Prime Minister Abdelhamid al-Dbaiba to Valletta last week.

Hamouda said this will reduce the suffering that Libyan citizens have been experiencing as a result of the burden of travelling to Europe and other countries for treatment, study or work.

He announced that the efforts of the government would continue with friendly countries to open their airspace to other air transport lines to serve the Libyan citizen.

On 9 September, the Libyan and Maltese transport ministries signed an agreement on the opening of airspace between the two countries after completing the preparation of the required protocols.

It should be noted that airlines stopped flying to Libya in 2014, due to the deterioration of security in the capital, Tripoli, where the airport and some planes were burned following clashes between rival armed groups.

Airlines such as Tunisair and Egypt Air have resumed flights to Libya since the official installation of the Government of National Unity and the return of stability in the country.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA/MA 17Sept2021