Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on Libyan authorities to collaborate with Greece and the European Union to curb rising irregular migration from North Africa. Speaking ahead of a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, Mitsotakis highlighted a sharp increase in migrant departures from eastern Libya, many heading toward the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos.
To address the situation, Greece announced earlier this week it will deploy two naval frigates and an additional vessel off the coast of Libya to deter migrant crossings.
“I will brief my European counterparts on the growing number of departures from eastern Libya and request immediate support from the European Commission,” Mitsotakis said. He emphasized that Libya must work with Greek authorities to either prevent migrant boats from leaving or intercept them within Libyan territorial waters.
As part of broader EU efforts, the bloc’s migration commissioner, along with ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta, is expected to visit Libya in early July for talks.
Libya has struggled with instability and fragmented governance since the 2011 ousting of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, with the country split between rival eastern and western factions.