The Tunisian crisis frightens Europe: a financial collapse and the president's racism against blacks threaten an outbreak that would send thousands of desperate people to the Mediterranean, where a new migration record would be recorded this year.
The head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, told a meeting of the European Union that if Tunisia collapses it could trigger an exceptional wave of clandestine migrants to Italy in thousands of boats.
The North African Arab country is suffering from
its worst economic crisis
in living memory and threatens to suffer a
ruinous
financial crash .
In addition, the World Bank has suspended aid after the racist call by President Kais Saied, who accused sub-Saharan black immigration of wanting to carry out an anti-Arab "ethnic substitution", causing popular reactions of hatred and violence
.
The president of Tunisia, Kais Saied, launched racist statements that caused controversy.
Photo: AP
Black immigrants in Tunisia intend to board the many illegal ships heading to Italy, the closest European country, charging large sums.
Many fail to embark and continue in the Arab country.
millionaire credit from the IMF
The International Monetary Fund has blocked a $1.9 billion loan because the Tunisian government is reluctant to implement some of the IMF's austerity policy measures.
The Washington-based Fund is calling for cuts in subsidies for food and public services.
But President Saied and his aides
fear that an unruly popular reaction will unleash in that case
.
Italy and the European Union have called on the Monetary Fund to ease austerity measures.
The request was extended to the World Bank, which has frozen its cooperation with Tunisia as a result of the Tunisian president's "racist and even violent" calls against black immigrants arriving from sub-Saharan Africa.
racist expressions
The African continent has several countries in the north that face the Mediterranean coast, while the center-south is populated by an increasingly important majority of black inhabitants.
At a meeting of the National Security Council, the president called for "urgent measures" needed "against clandestine immigration from sub-Saharan Africa" and
spoke of "hordes of clandestine immigrants."
Kais Saied stated that the arrival of these migrants "represents a criminal enterprise concocted to change the demographic composition of Tunisia."
The Tunisian Minister of Economy, Samir Said, and the European head of economic affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, this Monday in Tunis.
Photo: EFE
The president made a precise reference to
the theory of the "great substitution"
, which in Europe supports far-right parties and groups, as if black immigrants arrived in Tunisia and other North African countries to replace the Arab-Muslim component of the population.
The accusations by the president, who later denied having racist purposes, led to
attacks by Tunisians against black immigrants
.
The violence caused concern and countries such as the Ivory Coast, Mali and Guinea organized land and air trips for the return of their nationals who had suffered violence, lost their jobs and even been evicted from their homes.
A note from the World Bank signed by its president David Malpass explained that his institution cannot continue with its missions in Tunisia, given that "the security and inclusion of migrants and minorities are part of the core values of inclusion, respect and anti-racism.
In Europe they fear another wave of immigrants arriving across the Mediterranean Sea from Africa.
Photo: AP
The World Bank clarified that "the projects already financed remain in force" and the others have been suspended "until further notice."
This Monday, a high-level delegation from the European Union, headed by the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, visited President Saied and his government ministers in the capital, Tunis.
Gentiloni said that there is a strategic relationship between Tunisia and the EU.
“I confirm that there will be no shortage of subsidies to support the Tunisian people in the extremely difficult economic context”, he said.
Gentiloni explained that the goal is "to create real economic growth, with new jobs and better prospects for Tunisians."
Europe is ready for assistance.
But Gentiloni clarified that there is an essential prerequisite, which is the adoption by the International Monetary Fund of a new aid program.
“Without this first step by the IMF, the European Union cannot act”, concluded the “economic minister” of the European Union.
Rome, correspondent
BC
look too
Fleeing to live, the story of more than 40 million refugee women
Tragedy with immigrants in Italy: "States do not do their job and make it difficult for humanitarian organizations"