Greece gets tough on migrants from Libya after EU diplomatic blow-up

The Greek government announced today stricter measures against migrants arriving from Libya, following a diplomatic incident on Tuesday in Benghazi, where an EU delegation was declared persona non grata by local authorities.

Greece has been experiencing a surge in migration flows from eastern Libya, with many migrants reaching the island of Crete. This week alone, 1,500 people have arrived in Crete, having departed from Libya’s coast.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece will suspend asylum requests from individuals arriving from North Africa for three months. Those who manage to reach Greek territory will be confined in closed centers under administrative detention.

The government’s goal is to discourage people in Libya from beginning the journey, as they will ultimately end up detained.

The diplomatic incident

An EU delegation, led by EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, along with Italy’s Matteo Piantedosi, Greece’s Thanos Plevris, and Malta’s Byron Camilleri, visited Libya to seek solutions to the increasing migration flows.

The delegation first visited Tripoli in western Libya and held talks with the internationally recognised government.

However, a planned visit to eastern Libya, where the administration is led by Russia-backed Khalifa Haftar, was canceled after the EU mission was accused of violating national sovereignty, bypassing diplomatic protocols, and ignoring entry procedures for foreign officials.

Sources in Athens noted that Haftar’s intention was to pressure the EU into recognising his government.

In addition, Greek analysts point out that Haftar – once considered a close ally of Greece – is now reportedly considering ratifying a Turkish-Libyan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on maritime zone delimitation, which was originally signed by the Tripoli-based government.

Greece faces migrant surge as Libya, Turkey intensify Mediterranean energy ties

Greece is facing a sharp spike in migrant arrivals from Libya just as Ankara and Tripoli step up energy exploration near Crete – fuelling fears of geopolitical coercion and escalating tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.

Athens has rejected the MoU, stating it is illegal, as it completely ignores the existence of the island of Crete.

Moreover, an EU diplomat in Brussels noted that Libya is attempting to “weaponise” migration to pressure the EU regarding the MoU.

However, an EU spokesperson told Euractiv that the MoU “infringes upon the sovereign rights of third States, does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and cannot produce any legal consequences for third States.”

(aw)