Italy kick starts expulsion of Tunisian migrants

Italy began on Monday August 10 the expulsion of Tunisian citizens deemed illegal at the time waves of migrants from the North African country still arrive to the shores of the European Union (UE) member.

The information, announced last week by Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio, was confirmed Monday by Nahd Jendoubi, member of the Tunisian Forum of Economic and Social Rights, a civil society group.

Italy, according to Foreign Minister Di Maio, will expel 80 Tunisians every week part of the process. “We will expulse every Tunisian citizens who will enter Italy. For us, Tunisia is a safe country. It is not a country in war where there are persecutions,” the Italian top diplomat indicated adding that his country will open a dialogue with Tunisia on the “migrants issue” and on “how to stem the arrivals of Tunisians”.

“Our objective is to reach a new deal with Tunisia on migration and cooperation on development, helping it to offer more employment opportunities to its citizens,” Di Maio insisted.

“Meanwhile, we expect maximum cooperation to arrest organizers of those trip.”

Over 4,100 Tunisians arrived in Italy last month after crossing the Mediterranean. Italy has used expulsions to flash out illegal Tunisian citizens over the past years. In 2016, it deported 1,268 Tunisian migrants, 2,217 in 2017 and 1,739 the following year. Most expulsion operations were carried out by plane.