Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned today, Friday, that Europe faces the risk of a massive wave of migrants arriving on its shores from North Africa if financial stability in Tunisia is not secured. Meloni stated to reporters following a summit of EU leaders in Brussels: "Perhaps not everyone realizes the necessity of maintaining financial stability in a country facing severe financial issues." She added, "If we do not address these problems adequately, we are exposed to an unprecedented wave of migration."
So far in 2023, more than 20,000 migrants have arrived by boat in Italy, a rate that threatens to break the record set in 2016 when 181,436 people reached the country, most of them in makeshift boats. According to United Nations data, at least 12,000 of those who arrived in Italy this year set sail from Tunisia, compared to 1,300 during the same period in 2022.
