Two European ministers in charge of security will be in Tunis on Monday morning to lecture Tunisia and ask it to block migratory flows from its coasts to Europe, via Italy. Why and how to explain the move of Frenchman Gérald Darmanin and German Nancy Faeser to Tunis?
To this question, Ridha Kefi argues in an analytical article that “the visit of the two French and German interior ministers (…) would serve to clarify Tunisia’s position on the subject of this draft agreement (EU-Tunisia) and the readiness of Kaïs Saïed and his executive to ratify and implement it. Because doubts are beginning to be expressed on this subject, fueled by a Kaïs Saïed who blows hot and cold .
Without totally contradicting Ridha Kefi, it is important to qualify.
Indeed, the most probable explanation is that the negotiations between the Tunisian president and the European delegation, in Carthage, Sunday June 11, were limited to protocol intentions and salamalecs. In a friendly atmosphere!
Pixie powder
Not having succeeded in snatching an agreement on the spot, the European party had tried to force the hand of their host by announcing during a press conference, mysteriously shunned by the Tunisian party, that a draft agreement on immigration is on the table and that we are moving forward in all directions since the European Council on June 29 and 30 will decide on the loan of 900 million euros. It’s called pixie powder.
A priori, Europeans take their wishes for granted.
It is true that a Tunisia struggling with enormous economic and financial difficulties represents the soft underbelly of the southern shore of the Mediterranean, the poor little soldier ready to stand at attention!
The answer from the shepherd to the shepherdess came from President Kaïs Saïed during the past week. First he declared that Tunisia is not and will never be the border guard of Europe.
And for those, on the other side, who cover their ears not to hear, he returned to the charge by affirming that Tunisia will never be a land of welcome for immigrants expelled from Europe.
End of not receiving
For those who will follow in the footsteps of those who preceded them by a week, the task is multiple and tough:
1- take note of the manifest failure of the European trio which preceded them by a week. Question for Giorgia Meloni to remember the good memories of Gérald Darmanin. These two have never stopped throwing spades at each other through the media;
2- try to exert pressure on the Tunisian side so that it agrees to play the European game. This is the implementation of the recent European agreement on the return of irregular immigrants to the sender.
It’s a safe bet that, like their colleagues last week, the two European interior ministers will suffer a bitter failure.
Faced with a Kaïs Saïed, a firm man who never had cold feet in front of the Americans, the classic and traditional balance of power seems derisory.
