Turkey will issue temporary residencies that will exempt Libyan patients from any legal violations and fines caused by their overstay.
The news was revealed yesterday by the Tripoli-based Libyan government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. This came after a meeting in Ankara between Libya’s Ambassador to Turkey, Mustafa Galeeb, with the Turkish Minister of Health, Fahrettin Koca.
The meeting was also attended by a Libyan delegation headed by Ahmed Mlitan, Head of the Support and Development of Therapeutic Services Department, the Chairman of the Debt Payment Committee Abroad, in the presence of the Head of the Health Office at the Libyan Embassy.
During the meeting, the situation of Libyan patients in Turkish hospitals and the problems they face, including fines at Turkish ports, as a result of their violation of the Turkish residence law, were discussed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation reported that during the meeting, the Turkish Minister of Health stressed his interest in resolving the problems facing Libyan patients through the Turkish ports on their return home.
He stated that the Turkish authorities will issue temporary residencies that will exempt patients from any legal violations and fines. In parallel, he stressed the importance of supporting the home treatment resettlement programme (localisation of treatment) sponsored by Libya’s Support and Development of Therapeutic Services Department.
In conclusion, coordination was made to repeat such meetings in the future in order to overcome the difficulties and develop a clear vision for the joint action strategy between the two sides.
Part of wider policy to improve citizen’s services abroad
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the meeting comes as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the government’s policy to follow up on all problems and difficulties facing Libyan communities, and to raise the level of services provided to Libyans abroad.
