The EU gold “deal” is closed. With Tunisia for refugees

The blame-shifting game continues with the European Union, which has announced yet another “cooperation” with a third country in the context of its hardline anti-immigrant stance towards refugees.

The President of the European Commission announced the financing of Tunisia in exchange for improving border controls, without revealing the details of the financial terms. In June, he said the Commission was considering providing up to €900m in macro-financial aid, in addition to “up to €150m in financial support”.

Several conditions have previously been opposed by Kais Sayed, the country’s president – who is on the brink of bankruptcy and negotiating a painful “bailout” package from the International Monetary Fund – arguing he would not agree to an anti-immigration deal as such. European Turkic (see “The European Union. Poor “golden” Tunisia for border guards., “Yves Sin.” 13.06.2023).

The goal of the European Union is to limit the departure of migrants from the African country to the old continent, as it is one of the routes of origin and transit, with data indicating that the largest number of arrivals now originates from there – in 2022 the number of arrivals to the Mediterranean will increase by 57% -.

Von der Leyen’s statement yesterday says the deal covers five pillars: immigration, macroeconomic stability, the green energy transition, and trade and investment. The first sector funds are expected to go to border protection and anti-smuggling and deportation operations.

The Commissioner again focused on the role of smugglers and did not hesitate to use the shipwreck with hundreds of dead in Pylos, although it highlighted the tragic consequences of the fortress policy in Europe, the urgent need for safe routes for refugees and their absence. Political will to take great care in the reception and resettlement of asylum seekers.

“The tragic wreck a few weeks ago was another call to action. We must crack down on the criminal networks of human traffickers. They prey on human despair and we need to break their business model. Therefore, we will work with Tunisia in an operational partnership against human trafficking,” von der Leyen said defiantly.

At the same time, he claimed, he focused on increasing coordination in search and rescue operations and cooperation between the European Union and Tunisia in border management, combating smuggling and returns, and addressing root causes, with full respect for international law.

Submarine cables, “talent partnerships” and … Erasmus

Regarding investments, he said that the digital sector will play an important role and spoke of the design of “good projects”, such as … the Medusa submarine cable, which “will connect Tunisia to Europe, linking 11 countries from all over the Mediterranean, starting from 2025 onwards, and 150 million euros will flow into this important project.”

We will also launch Talent Partnerships to give young Tunisians opportunities to study, work or train in the European Union. In this way they will acquire technical knowledge in the European Union. and new skills that will be important for the Tunisian economy.” Finally, he noted that there will be cooperation to modernize schools, noting that 80 schools are being supported to prepare for the digital and green transition, with a contribution of 65 million euros from Team Europe, while also announcing … an opportunity for the African country in what It relates to the Erasmus+ program of 10 million euros, in order to promote the exchange of students.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the negotiations on the agreement with Tunisia at last month’s summit. The day before yesterday anyway Spiegel report It documented the deadly practice of African nations abandoning migrants in the middle of the desert without water or food.