The migratory pressure on Italy's shores is not easing, as an increasing number of people are setting off from Tunisia towards Europe. Despite an agreement between the North African country, the European Commission and Italy to control the Tunisian coast and stop the flow of migrants, there is still no tangible result. The reason for this failure is simple, the Italian daily Il Giornale writes.
According to its sources, neither the European Union nor Italy has paid the promised aid to cover the costs of the authorities responsible for monitoring the coast.
After her election as Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni began negotiations with the leaders of the North African country and then managed to rally European allies. The preparatory talks, which lasted almost a month, ended in Tunis with a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation. The agreement was signed on 16 June by Tunisian President Kais Saied and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the presence of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Under the agreement, the European Commission was to earmark €100 million to help the North African country carry out rescue and control operations at sea and repatriate migrants.
It also included the optional €900 million in financial assistance that the EU may provideto Tunisia, which is facing a severe economic crisis.
There is no doubt that future cooperation will not be helped by a delay in fulfilling these promises, which could call into question the EU's credibility and lead to a deterioration in relations between Italy and Tunisia. A country on the brink of economic collapse cannot be expected to cover the cost of controlling its coastline from its own resources.
Moreover, Tunisia has no interest in holding back the migrants who have accumulated on its territory. It could get rid of the masses, who are ready to leave. Despite new migration records, Giorgia Meloni still hopes that close cooperation with countries of origin and transit will be successful, but this would require the rapid disbursement of the funds. According to official figures from the Ministry of the Interior, nearly 114,000 illegal immigrants have entered Italy since the beginning of the year, including more than 10,000 unaccompanied minors.
Cover photo: A boat full of migrants off the Italian island of Lampedusa (Photo: Zoltan Havran)
