US EditionLibya's eastern-based government bars entry of EU migration commissioner, three ministers
BENGHAZI, EASTERN LIBYA, JUL 8 – Libyan authorities cited a breach of diplomatic protocol and canceled talks on illegal migration, ordering EU ministers to leave immediately upon arrival in Benghazi, officials said.
- On 8 July 2025, eastern Libya's authorities in Benghazi denied entry to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner and three European interior ministers, ordering them to leave immediately.
- This denial followed accusations that the delegation violated Libyan diplomatic protocols by first stopping in Tripoli, the rival western capital governed by Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, causing tensions between eastern and western administrations.
- The delegation arrived in Libya aiming to strengthen migration controls and engaged in discussions with the UN-supported Government of National Unity in Tripoli to address the reduction of migrant boat departures toward Europe amid ongoing instability following the 2011 NATO-backed removal of Moammar Gadhafi.
- Libya's Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi reported that the country is home to several million migrants who entered illegally, while Amnesty International criticized the EU's partnership with Libyan authorities, accusing it of enabling serious human rights abuses.
- The incident highlights Libya’s divided governance and challenges in EU migration policy, prompting calls for urgent re-evaluation of EU support to Libyan authorities to avoid enabling migrant abuses and human rights violations.
81 Articles
81 Articles
General Khalifa Haftar, known as the 'Lord of the War of Cyrenaica' -northeast of Libya- and strategic ally of the Kremlin, expelled the Italian Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, along with a European delegation that included his homonyms from Greece and Malta and the EU immigration commissioner Magnus Brunner. His mission was clear: to seek greater control over the departures of boats loaded with immigrants to the European coasts, pa…
Libya's eastern-based government bars entry of EU migration delegation
The EU migration commissioner and ministers from Italy, Malta and Greece were denied entry to the eastern part of divided Libya on Tuesday as they had disregarded "Libyan national sovereignty", the Benghazi-based government said.
Eastern Libyan authorities deport EU ministers, commissioner
A statement from the prime minister of the eastern part of Libya, Osama Hammad, said the interior ministers of Italy, Greece, Malta and the EU migration commissioner, Magnus Brunner, were “persona non-grata” after they were denied entry shortly after their arrival in Benghazi
After the visit to Tripoli, with the commitment to donate motorboats to Libya, the Cyrenaic expelling the delegation: "They are people not liked" . The Viminal minimizes (We were not the target) and cashes a victory in Consulta on the arrest of the ships Ong.An unprecedented diplomatic slap ...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Right
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
