The European Central Bank (ECB) has put incredible pressure on the Maltese Bank of Valletta (BOV) to close bank accounts opened by some Libyans between 2013 and 2015.

According to the Maltese Independent newspaper, the ECB’s pressure is resultant from the fact that those accounts were not subjected to the necessary legal requirements even though the BOV informed the anti-money laundry and anti-terrorism funding authorities in Malta about any suspected bank accounts.

The Independent added that the BOV has got some documentations that show soaring numbers in deposit levels between 2013 and 2015, pointing out that at the same period the customers’ deposits increased to reach more than 2.3 billion euros.