Members of the European Parliament denounced on Tuesday the controversial migration agreement between the EU and Tunisia.
During a heated debate in the European Parliament, MEPs said the number of migrants reaching Europe from Tunisia had increased since the agreement was signed in July.
“ The agreement has only led to more repression, more deaths, and even more migration,” underlines Tineke Strik (the Greens).
“ Two months after the signing ceremony, we do not see much concrete ”, adds Jeroen Lenaers, of the European People’s Party (EPP), “ arrivals continue to increase ”.
The controversial deal includes 105 million euros in EU aid to stem irregular immigration by stopping smugglers’ operations and strengthening border controls. It also provides budgetary support of around 600 million euros and strategic investments in the Tunisian economy.
European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said in July that 45,000 asylum seekers had left Tunisia for Europe this year, a significant increase compared to previous years. According to estimates, 5,000 of these asylum seekers are of Tunisian origin. This figure indicates that Tunisia has become a favored transit country for migrants.
Human rights in danger
MEPs criticize the European Commission for not taking into account the growing evidence of human rights violations by the Tunisian authorities against sub-Saharan migrants.
At the beginning of August, 27 migrants were found dead in Libyan territory near the Tunisian border. However, the Tunisian Minister of the Interior, Kamel Fekih, admitted that small groups of migrants had been pushed back into the desert region on the border of Libya and Algeria.
“ We all remember the image of the corpse of a mother and her daughter in the desert, paid for by European money,” denounces MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld (Renew Europe).
“ This is worrying because it is one of many useless attempts to outsource control of European borders, with significant risks for human rights,” adds Brando Benifei (S&D).
“ The EU that acts like this is a lost EU. It is a decadent EU. It is an EU that does not defend democracy and human rights,” insists Malin Björk (GUE).
This is not the first time that MEPs have criticized the Union for its support for Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed who has relayed far-right remarks according to which migrants are plotting to change the demographic composition of the country.
“ Tomorrow, at this very place. President (Ursula) von der Leyen will forcefully assert that she fiercely defends democracy against autocracy,” warns Tineke Strik, “ but at the same time she will proudly present dirty deals with a ruthless dictator.
Other MEPs defend the text and assure that it is essential to support EU border control in the face of migrant arrivals.
“ We need external cooperation. The EU-Tunisia agreement is essential to maintain strict control of the EU borders, for our own security and for humanitarian reasons, ” assures Sara Skyttedal (PPE).
” We must work decisively over the long term and on all fronts. We must establish a sustainable and common migration policy, and we must deepen cooperation with countries like Tunisia. Together we can make a difference and save lives tragically lost at sea due to a hypocritical migration policy,” she adds.
Migration should be one of the major themes of the campaign for the European elections in June, but also during the legislative elections in Poland and the Netherlands.
The EU wants the document concluded with Tunisia to serve as a model for similar agreements with other North African countries.
