Malta has formally given notice to the European Commission that it will no longer commit any military assets to the EU’s Operation ‘IRINI’ that aims to monitor the UN arms embargo on Libya in the Mediterranean.
The Maltese government told the Committee it will veto decisions on IRINI that concern spending on procedures for disembarkation of migrants, port diversions and the eligibility of drones.
According to the notice, Malta is facing an “unprecedented crisis” and disproportionate flow of migrarants as a result of human smuggling and criminal activities in the Central Mediterranean.
It accused the EU of ignoring requests for support, despite requests for relocation and discussions on a permanent solution to the crisis.
