NAN-F-35
Border
Brussels, Feb. 15, 2017 (Reuters/NAN) The European Union should expect as many migrants crossing from Libya this year as last, when a record number disembarked in Italy, Head of the bloc’s border agency said on Wednesday.
Some 1.6 million refugees and migrants reached the bloc by crossing the Mediterranean in 2014 to 2016 and the main route now leads from the shores of the lawless Libya to Italy.
Fabrice Leggeri, Head of the EU’s border agency Frontex said: “there was an increase by 17 per cent in 2016 so we had approximately 181,000 irregular border crossings coming from Libya.
“We have to be ready to face the same number.
“In 2016, 2015 and 2014, we had more than 150,000 thousand irregular migrants coming from Libya.
“I mean those favoured by the EU and entering illegally.”
The bloc said it was overwhelmed by the arrivals of illegal immigrants.
It said that it is waging bitter internal battles on how to share the burden, has increased its efforts to cut the number of people who use smugglers’ boats to make the perilous voyage.
“This includes support for the UN-backed Libyan government in Tripoli, efforts to boost deportations of people with no case for asylum.
“This as well includes working with African states along the migration trails to ensure they let fewer people pass.
“These would only bear fruit in the medium- to long-term, Leggeri said.
He said that for now the EU had to ensure Italy has enough support and capacity to handle high arrivals.
“I hope 2017 will see the start of a shift, a positive impact of alternative measures, but these are measures that need time,” Leggeri said. (Reuters/NAN)
OYESH/
=====
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Sadiya Hamza