European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Tuesday said he has called on Tunisia to help solve the migration crisis that has been building up on the European Union's southern borders, DPA reported.
Some 22,000 people, most of them Tunisians have arrived in Italy and Malta since the outbreak of unrest in North Africa in January, prompting the two countries to appeal for EU assistance.
Barroso told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that he called Tunisian interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi on Monday to reiterate the EU's readiness to help Tunisia "in its quest for freedom, justice and social progress."
"In this context, I also raised the question of migration, which Tunisia and Europe must approach together in a spirit of true partnership," Barroso said.
On Monday, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom signalled readiness to provide funds to help repatriate North African migrants.
She also indicated she would consider calling for the activation of the bloc's temporary protection mechanism, which allows refugees to be re-allocated across the bloc on a voluntary basis, if migrant numbers increased significantly.