The Commander of Air and Naval Operations of the European Union, known as “Irini”, Admiral Stefano Torquito, considered that the extension of the European operation in the Mediterranean is an affirmation of the important results achieved so far.
Torquito said, in statements published by the Italian news agency Nova, that the confidence of member states and the contribution in terms of human and material resources, that states decided to continue to guarantee until 2025 for operation IRINI, especially in the current sensitive geopolitical situation, is an additional incentive for all of us to do our best. We did our best because we realize the importance of our work aimed at protecting Europe’s security and stability in Libya and North Africa.
He pointed out that the IRINI operation, which we seek to make a tangible contribution to the peace process in Libya, in particular through the imposition of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations in 2011.
He pointed out that, by a decision of the Council of the European Union, the secondary objectives of the operation were also confirmed for which IRINI will continue to make an important contribution to maritime security, that is, respect for legality in the waters of the central Mediterranean, and the collection of useful information to compare the illegal trade, not only of arms to Libya but also with oil, and no less important than people to Europe.
Source: Libyan News Agency