Tunisian President Kais Saied has said his country will not be Europe’s border guard, hours before a meeting on migration with the European Commission president and the Italian and Dutch prime ministers.
Saied said that the solution to the migration crisis should not be at the expense of Tunisia, and that his country cannot be a guard for Europe.
Italy is pushing for a Turkey-style partnership deal with Tunisia that would allow Rome to deport migrants who do not qualify for asylum to the country.
The EU signed a deal with Turkey in 2016 backed by €6bn (£5.1bn) to provide facilities for 4 million refugees, including 3.5 million Syrians.
Tunisia has been struggling with a surge in migration in recent months, with thousands of people attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.
The country’s economy has also been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the IMF has warned that it could default on its debt.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.