BRUSSELS, June 29 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Donald Tusk fired a warning shot towards non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean, urging them not to obstruct Lybian Coast Guard's operations.
"We have sent a clear message to all vessels, including those of NGOs, operating in the Mediterranean, that they must respect the law and must not obstruct the operation of the Libyan Coast Guard," said Tusk at a press conference after European leaders wrapped up a two-day EU summit.
Standing alongside him are European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose country is within days to end the half-year rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
Tusk's remarks reasserted a line in the belated summit conclusions which was issued in the early hours of Friday following a white-night, marathon talk among European leaders.
"All vessels operating in the Mediterranean must respect the applicable laws and not obstruct operations of the Libyan Coastguard," noted the conclusions.
Tusk underscored that the message "demonstrates our clear and univocal support for the actions of the Maltese authorities."
The Maltese government said Thursday that it would be closing the country's ports to NGO-operated migrant vessels, pending the outcome of an investigation into the case of the MV Lifeline.
The vessel MV Lifeline was at the center of an international dispute after it rescued over 200 migrants from within the Libyan search and rescue area last Thursday.
It's the latest in a flurry of eye-catching rescue operations by NGOs in the Mediterranean.
In latest weeks, Italy's new government has denied other rescue ships permit to enter Italian ports and disembark rescued migrants and refugees, in the framework of an announced crackdown on irregular immigration.
A Danish cargo ship with more than 100 rescued migrants was currently off the coasts of southern Italy since Friday, waiting for a decision from the Italian authorities on whether to offer them a safe harbor.
Previously, the Aquarius vessel with 629 migrants on board was turned away, forced to change its course and docked at the Spanish port of Valencia.
The EU struck the deal with Turkey in March 2016 and engaged Libyan coast guard in cracking down on migrant trafficking, following the peak year of 2015 which saw more than 1 million irregular migrants flocking to Europe.
