On Sunday, this was Rutte and Von der Leyen’s second visit to Tunisia. Yet the deal came quite unexpectedly, says correspondent De Vries. “Over the past few weeks, the Von der Leyen team has apparently been working hard on a deal,” he says.
Human rights organizations argue that the EU did not make this deal with one country, but with one man. That man is President Saied.
This is a large package, including economic stability, green energy and even participation in the Erasmus exchange programme. “But the most surprising thing is that Tunisia has to act as a sort of border guard for Europe.”
150 million to deal with the teething problems
The agreement is comparable to the one previously concluded by the EU with Turkey. Even if the other one was a little bigger, says De Vries. This involved billions of euros. Tunisia will now receive 150 million euros to address the first problems. Another €100 million should be made available rapidly for border control and the return of migrants.
According to De Vries, about 6,000 migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia to Italy every month. “A small part if you look at the 200,000 migrants who arrive every month from outside the EU, legally or illegally”.
Face a man: the Tunisian president
Human rights organizations have reacted unpleasantly, according to the Europe correspondent. This has a lot to do with Tunisian President Kais Saied, who is increasingly adopting an autocratic stance. “Opponents argue that the EU did not conclude this deal with just one country, but with one man,” says De Vries. “That man is President Saied.”
Tunisia’s reputation is not very good when it comes to the treatment of refugees. A few weeks ago, Tunisia reportedly left hundreds of migrants across the Libyan border without food or drink.
De Vries: ‘And yet the EU chooses to do business with an autocrat. This way they can tell in their own continent that they are working hard on an important problem.’ Not much of the deal will be noticed this summer, thinks the correspondent. It takes some time for the measures to be implemented.