Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has confirmed the deployment of Greek naval vessels off the Libyan coast, aimed at curbing a sharp increase in irregular migration across the Mediterranean.
Speaking ahead of the European Union summit in Brussels, Mitsotakis stated:
“I will brief my EU colleagues on the significant rise in the number of migrants coming from eastern Libya and call for immediate support from the European Commission to address this issue.”
The Greek leader emphasized that his country seeks cooperation—not confrontation—with Libya to stem the growing tide of migrants attempting dangerous sea crossings to Europe. The move comes after recent months saw a surge in arrivals from North Africa, Sudan, and the Middle East.
Mitsotakis noted that European officials—including the EU Commissioner for Migration, along with ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta—are scheduled to visit Libya in early July to discuss joint solutions.
He stressed the importance of Libyan authorities working collaboratively with European nations to tackle smuggling networks and migration flows.
Commenting on Greece’s naval presence, Mitsotakis clarified:
“When migrant boats are detected, we are contacted by Libyan authorities to intercept and return them to Libya.”
Libya has long struggled with law enforcement and border control since the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. A decade of factional conflict has split the country into rival eastern and western administrations, making coordinated migration efforts more challenging.
