The new memorandum of understanding with Libya on combating illegal immigration has already drawn condemnation from the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, among others. But now Sicilian fishermen are also pointing to renewed agreements by the Meloni government to improve the work of the Tripoli coast guard and block the exit of migrants. The accusation is that the Libyan patrol boats were used to threaten Italian fishing boats and divert them from international waters, rather than controlling the smugglers’ boats. With the tacit consent of Rome.
The latest case was reported by Avvenire: On 3 February, a few days after the prime minister’s trip to Tripoli, a Libyan patrol boat arrived on four Sicilian boats departing from Mazara del Vallo and Pozzallo fishing in the international waters of the Channel. di Sicily orders the passengers to turn off the engines. Crew members were careful not to do so, fearing that they would end up like their colleagues who were kidnapped for 108 days by General Haftar’s militia in 2020.
Meanwhile, an Italian military ship arrives on the high seas. However, our Navy invites the fishermen to move away to the north, that is, to return to Italy, instead of rejecting the Libyan coast guard, according to the video footage and audio of the conversations between ships and fishing vessels broadcast by Avvenire. waters. “It all took about an hour, the Libyans demanded that they stop the engines, let some of them arm, and the Italian Navy asked them not to do that. The Libyans wanted to take the boats to Tripoli,” Matteo said. Ruta, the owner of one of the fishing boats, was stopped by the Libyan coast guard. “The most serious thing,” continues Ruta – if it’s true that the Navy is helping us, it’s equally true that it takes us another 1520 miles north. From 80 to over 100 miles: something extreme. C ‘something is wrong that old patrol boats are not intimidated by a military ship, maybe Italy has other economic interests,’ concludes the shipowner. Perhaps a reference to the new agreements signed between ENI and Tripoli at the same time as the memorandum of understanding for the operation of the country’s gas fields .
What makes the situation even more paradoxical is that the Libyan patrol boat is a Bigliani class donated by Italy a few years ago, again as part of anti-illegal immigration agreements. And Avvenire continues to threaten Sicilian fishermen, while Libyan coast guards release a migrant boat undisturbed. “The footage and audio recordings of what happened to four Sicilian fishing boats in international waters last Friday reveal an unacceptable situation: Italy succumbs to pressure from the Libyan coast guard”, attacking Pd MEP Pietro Bartolo. “By the admission of the Italian Navy, the fishing vessels were in international waters. They had the right to throw their nets into the sea, but the Navy itself tells them to stay away and follow the Libyan directives,” continues Bartolo. “It is a very serious and intolerable situation,” he concludes.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
