Tunisian President Kais Saied has informed the chief of the European Council that his country will not be responsible for stopping irregular migration into Europe. He noted that Tunisia was neither a transit nor a settlement place for migrants.
Kais Saied and Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, have discussed migrants and the International Monetary Fund.
During a phone conversation between the two men on June 14, Saied reaffirmed his stance on “irregular” migration and requested a collaborative strategy to address the causes of migration.
He also reiterated his proposal to convene an international meeting of the affected countries.
“Tunisia will not serve as a border guard for Europe”
According to a statement issued by the office of the president of Tunisia on Wednesday, Saied stated that the country can only protect its own borders when it comes to preventing the influx of illegal immigrants into Europe.
“There are criminal networks that operate in human trafficking in the source and destination countries in Europe,” Saied stated.
Tunisia, he continued, “refuses to be a place of transit or settlement for migrants.”
Following the phone call, Michel tweeted, “Tunisia’s prosperity, economic stability, and democracy are our top priorities.” The EU stands by Tunisia’s position. The EU continues to work with Tunisia to jointly address the migration challenge.”
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