EU and Greece to press Libya on migrant crossings via Mediterranean as numbers surge

Published on 01/07/2025 - 18:36 GMT+2

The European Union's commissioner for migration says Europe will return a "firm" attack pinch authorities successful Libya pursuing a spike successful forbidden migration crossed nan Mediterranean.

Commissioner Magnus Brunner plans to recreation to Libya adjacent week pinch authorities representatives from Greece, Italy and Malta, seeking tougher measures from Libyan authorities to extremity boats carrying migrants from leaving for Europe.

"That is really a mobility which bothers america rather a batch astatine nan moment. Libya is, of course, astatine nan apical of nan schedule and we’re walking together to Libya adjacent week because we person to beryllium fast, I think, and firm," Brunner said astatine a convention successful Athens connected Tuesday.

Brunner, who discussed nan upcoming sojourn astatine a gathering pinch Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said nan delegation would meet pinch representatives from some nan United Nations-recognised authorities successful occidental Libya and nan rival authority successful nan east.

Libya has been divided for years betwixt rival administrations successful nan eastbound and west, each backed by equipped groups and overseas governments.

Greece precocious announced plans to nonstop warships to world waters successful nan region pursuing a surge successful crossings from Libya to nan confederate Greek land of Crete, a much perilous way than nan much often utilized transition betwixt Turkey and adjacent Greek islands.

In 2023, hundreds died erstwhile nan sportfishing trawler Adriana, carrying migrants from Libya to Italy, sank successful waters disconnected Greece.

Libya is simply a cardinal departure constituent for vulnerable oversea crossings to Europe and terrible quality authorities abuses of refugees and migrants, including torture, person been wide documented successful nan country.

The United Nations exile agency (UNHCR) said that successful 2021, 32,400 refugees and migrants had made nan crossing from Libya to Europe, much than doubly arsenic galore arsenic successful 2020.

In April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen projected to summation staffing for Frontex, nan EU’s outer separator and coastguard agency, by 30,000, a number that could supply a important boost successful its ngo to unafraid Europe's outer borders.