Tunisia refuses to become Europe’s ‘Border Guard’ to curb illegal migration

Nancy Faeser and Gerald Darmanin respectively German and French Interior ministers arrived Sunday in Tunisia for meetings with Tunisian authorities few days after the North African country said it will not allow itself to become a border control agent for other nations, amid the migration crisis facing both Tunisia and European Union States.

The arrival of the two ministers followed those of EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who met with Tunisia’s leader Kais Saied one week ago.

European leaders are alarmed by the increasing number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea, mainly through Tunisia.

Italy, in the main, is very concerned about waves of illegal migrants including Tunisians departing from the coasts of the North African country for Europe.
European countries are pressuring Tunisia – facing financial woes, to accept a bailout package of $1.9 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expected to rescue the economy which they fear is not propped up and will lead to State collapse and short up migrant departures.

President Saied last week said Tunisia will not allow itself to become a border control agent for other nations. Saied several times repeated that the bailout package will not be accepted under vulnerable conditions.