The Maltese government is ready to ship the 1.2 billion dinars currently held in Malta to be used for “the good and wellbeing of the Libyan people who have endured so much suffering over the years,” Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo  has said.

Back in 2019, the cash was confiscated in transit on its way to Libya, which was in the middle of a conflict at the time. The money had been found stored inside two containers and was believed to be destined for the forces commanded by Khalifa Haftar, who at that time was laying siege to the Libyan capital.

The announcement was made during a working visit to the Russian Federation, where Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In Sochi, the two sides discussed a wide array of topics of bilateral, regional and international importance. Among other things, the two sides also had a positive exchange of views on Libya, with Minister Bartolo reiterating Malta’s belief in a free, united Libya run by Libyans.