PD's Schlein criticises EU-Tunisia agreement

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 18 - Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein on Tuesday criticised the Memorandum of Understanding that the European Union and Tunisia signed in Tunis on Sunday.
    The agreement covers several issues, including cooperation on migration.
    Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni was present for the signing of the memorandum along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and she was instrumental in bringing it about, having visited Tunis twice in June to lay down the ground work.
    "The memorandum between the EU and Tunisia is the umpteenth attempt to externalize border control without taking account of respect for democracy and human rights," Schlein told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of Socialist leaders in Brussels.
    "We don't agree with an approach that tends to look only at the aspect of stopping migratory flows when, at the same time, we know about the upheaval Tunisia is going through in terms of democracy.
    "We've seen this approach in the past with other countries, such as Turkey and Libya, and I cannot agreed with it".
    Tunisia has come under fire over its treatment of migrants, with reports of people being driven to desert areas and left to fend for themselves.
    The Memorandum of Understanding features five pillars - macro-economic stability, trade and investment, green energy transition, people-to people contacts, and migration - and includes financial assistance.
    Meloni has said she considered it a "model" for relations between the bloc and north African countries.
    Tunisia is in the midst of severe financial crisis and the unstable situation has been a major factor in a huge increase in the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Italy by sea this year. (ANSA).