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.
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