Tunisia bars entry of European Parliament delegation

Tunisia has denied entry to a delegation from the European Parliament following criticisms by European lawmakers of the migration agreement between the European Union and Tunisia, according to an official. 

This delegation, consisting of five members, including three French lawmakers, had been scheduled to visit the Tunisian capital on Thursday "to better understand the current political situation" and evaluate it after the European Union and Tunisia signed an agreement in mid-July aimed at reducing migrant flows. 

The delegation led by German MEP Michael Gahler was supposed to meet with members of civil society, labor unions, and representatives of the Tunisian opposition. 

In a letter seen by Agence France-Presse, Tunisian authorities informed these European lawmakers in the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee that they "will not be allowed to enter the national territory." 

European Parliament member Mounir Satouri said in an interview with AFP, "It's surprising and unusual." 

By refusing entry to European lawmakers, Tunisian President Kais Saied "believes he has the right to choose his European interlocutors and doesn't need representatives of the people to receive the hundreds of millions promised by Ms. von der Leyen," Satouri added. 

Under the agreement, Brussels pledged to provide hundreds of millions of euros as financial support to the Tunisian government. 

AFP