Tunisians slam EU demands on illegal migration

Sara al-Harith

Tunisians, including some public figures, are warning against what they consider European attempts to manipulate their country in exchange for economic support.

This comes in the wake of European offers to support Tunisia which faces a severe economic crisis.

However, European countries make this support conditional on Tunisian action to stem the tide of illegal migration to Europe.

Refusal of barter

Tunisian organizations, parties and public figures of various political orientations, such as Soumoud Coalition; the Observatory for Defending the Civilian State; the Socialist Party, and Afek Tounes Party, rejected the prospect of an agreement between their country and the European Union as far as irregular migration is concerned.

The same entities said they cannot accept European economic support tied to a Tunisian role in the deportation of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa.

They also rejected the notion of setting up camps in Tunisia where these refugees would be held up.

The same parties asked Tunisian authorities, meanwhile, to reveal the content of talks with the European Union on this issue and inform the Tunisian public about any plans for agreements in this regard.

Series of visits

These calls came in the wake of a series of visits to Tunisia by European officials to discuss illegal immigration.

According to Tunisian newspaper reports, these repeated visits indicate a Tunisian rejection of the EU’s perception regarding Tunisia’s role in reducing illegal immigration.

Europe, some newspapers said, wants Tunisia to play an immoral role towards illegal immigrants in exchange for saving its economy.

The German and French interior ministers paid a visit to Tunisia in June, during which they announced that their countries would provide assistance worth 26 million euros ($28.5 million) to support Tunisia in reducing irregular migration.

This was preceded by an announcement on June 11 by European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, about financial support worth 900 million euros, in addition to 150 million euros, to Tunisia.

During her meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Paris and Rome agreed on the need for the European Union to work “in a practical and serious way” to help Tunisia economically.

The French president said that he shares Italy’s point of view on the urgent need to provide economic assistance to Tunisia.

Divergence of views

Talks between the French president and the Italian prime minister about what they considered the seriousness of aid and its operation may indicate the divergence of views between Europe and Tunisia regarding illegal immigration.

The statement of the two officials also suggests that aid has been waved more than once without implementation on the ground to the point that it has lost its seriousness.

Tunisian observers believe failure to implement European pledges boils down to incompatibility between Tunisia and Europe.

Europe, they said, wants to turn Tunisia into a backyard where illegal immigrants meet.