14 February 2017•Update: 15 February 2017
By Ayhan Simsek
BERLIN
Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for closer cooperation with Tunisia to address the problem of illegal migration.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed in Berlin on Tuesday, Merkel pledged financial support to encourage illegally-residing Tunisians to return to Tunisia.
She said they discussed the possible return of nearly 1,500 Tunisian nationals whose asylum applications had been rejected.
“We are discussing how we can make voluntary returns attractive for the people, by offering them educational programs, start-up support which may help them start work in Tunisia,” she said.
She hoped the EU and African countries would conclude agreements that would help stop illegal trafficking through the Mediterranean, and accelerate the return of migrants whose asylum applications were rejected.
Chahed indicated willingness to further enhance cooperation with Germany in preventing irregular migration, but opposed the idea of establishing asylum reception centers in his country for migrants from other African countries, who were seeking to travel to Europe.
About EU plans to establish such asylum centers in African countries, Chahed said the issue was not discussed between him and Merkel in their meeting.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chaded told Germany’s Bild daily that he was clearly opposed to hosting asylum centers in Tunisia.
“Tunisia is a very young democracy, I do not think that this can function, and we do not have capacities for refugee camps. One has to find a solution together with Libya. That is the only way,” he said.
Last year around 200,000 migrants arrived in Italy, many of them by boats from Libya.
- Leaders mourn terror victims
Following the joint press conference, Chahed and Merkel visited the scene of Dec. 19 terror attack in Berlin, and placed white roses at the memorial, paying tribute to the victims.
The truck attack, which killed 12 people and injured dozens, was carried out by a suspected radicalized Tunisian national, Anis Amri, whose asylum application had been rejected by Germany.
Chahed expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, and highlighted that Tunisian authorities did not do any wrongdoing with regards to Amri.
“Anis Amri came to Europe in 2011. He carried out this horrible terror attack in 2016. The question is how he was brainwashed, how he become radicalized after coming to Europe,” he said.
Chahed underlined that Amri was radicalized during his time inside an Italian prison after he arrived Europe in 2011. The suspect was killed on Dec. 23 in a shootout at Sesto San Giovanni district in Milan after he was stopped by police.
