STOCKHOLM, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The day after a Swedish member of parliament invited members of the Palestinians' ruling Hamas party to a meeting in Stockholm, their planned visit to Europe seems to have been blocked, local media reported on Wednesday.

    The French authorities have reportedly refused to grant visas, which bars them from entering the entire Schengen passport-free zone, including Sweden.

    Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson has refused to permit special visas, saying Sweden would not give Hamas a visa because the European Union brands the Islamic group as terrorists, Radio Sweden reported.

    However, the Hamas representatives will still visit Norway, which is not a member of the European Union.

    Palestinians living in the southern Swedish city of Malmoe, home to the biggest Muslim community in Scandinavia, had invited the Hamas delegation to visit in mid-May. They were also due to meet members of parliament.

    "This is very unfortunate. After the French refusal they can't come to Sweden at all," said Jamal Khabisa at the Palestinian association in Malmoe.

    "But we hope for another date. It is important to break the isolation of the Palestinian government," said Jan Bonnevier, the spokesman for the organizers. Enditem