The decision comes pending a ruling on a legal challenge by several NGOs ASGI, ARCI, ActionAid, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Spazi Circolari and Le Carbet.
The NGOs challenged the 4.8 million euros of public money being allocated to the refurbishment of boats to be transferred Tunisia as part of cooperation with the authorities there.
“As even the United Nations has said, providing patrol boats to the Tunisian authorities increases the risk of migrants being subjected to illegal deportations,” said lawyers involved in the case.
ARCI’s Filippo Miraglia said serious human-rights violations were being committed by the Tunisian authorities.
“The new wave of arrests and deportations of migrant people is now being accompanied by persecutions of the civil society parties who support them,” Miraglia said.
“Italian and European policies seem ... impervious to the alarms sounded by the United Nations and International NGOs, which unanimously condemn the actions of the Tunisian authorities.”
ANSA
