Why Were European Ministers Expelled from Eastern Libya? Inside a Carefully Laid Political Trap

In an unprecedented diplomatic incident, a delegation that included the interior ministers of Italy, Greece, and Malta—along with the EU Commissioner for Migration—was formally expelled from Benghazi Airport in eastern Libya.

What was initially planned as a visit focused on security talks around irregular migration quickly turned into a political ambush orchestrated by coup leader general Khalifa Haftar, aimed at extracting implicit recognition for the eastern Libyan government.

The European officials, who had just met with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli led by Abdulhamid AlDabaiba, were caught off guard when local arrangements staged their arrival as an official reception by the unrecognized Benghazi-based authorities—complete with cameras and protocol.

Unwilling to play into a scene that could be spun internationally as a political breakthrough for Haftar, the delegation refused to proceed. They were subsequently declared “persona non grata” and ordered to leave.

What initially looked like a clumsy protocol mix-up soon revealed itself as part of a calculated strategy by eastern Libyan “authorities” to challenge the international consensus on who represents the Libyan state—at a time when Europe is increasingly relying on Libya as a frontline barrier against migration.

A Calculated Move

The high-level European delegation had traveled to Libya on an official mission to discuss border security and irregular migration.

According to European diplomatic sources cited by Reuters on July 8, 2025, the incident was far from a misunderstanding. Rather, it was part of a deliberate political maneuver by Haftar, the dominant figure in eastern Libya, to force the European Union into engaging—if only symbolically—with his unrecognized government.

The delegation, which included EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, interior ministers from Italy, Greece, and Malta, and the EU Ambassador to Libya Nicola Orlando, had begun their tour in Tripoli.

There, they met with the UN-recognized Government of National Unity headed by Abdulhamid AlDabaiba. The talks focused on joint border monitoring, migrant repatriation, and disrupting human trafficking networks. On the eve of their planned stop in Benghazi, Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi praised the agreements reached in Tripoli.

“Our shared goal is to stop migrant departures, dismantle smuggling networks, and develop European programs to combat cross-border organized crime,” Piantedosi said on X.

A Staged Welcome

At Benghazi Airport, Libyan authorities orchestrated what appeared to be a formal reception for the European delegation—complete with cameras, civilian ministers, and the head of the unrecognized eastern government, Osama Hamad.

Although prior agreements specified that the delegation would be received only by Haftar’s military or security officials, the Europeans were surprised to find political representatives from a government Brussels does not recognize.

As previously reported by Italian and international media, EU representative and head of delegation to Libya Orlando was instructed to disembark first and politely asked that no photos be taken, due to the potential diplomatic implications.

Any public footage of European ministers standing alongside Benghazi’s leadership could be spun as a tacit endorsement of Haftar’s political authority.

After behind-the-scenes negotiations, the European delegation refused to go along with the staged optics. In response, Libyan authorities declared the group “persona non grata” and issued a public statement accusing them of violating national sovereignty and carrying out an unauthorized mission.

Multiple European sources confirmed to Reuters that this was no protocol mishap—it was a deliberate trap designed to draw the EU into engaging with eastern Libya on new terms.

Haftar’s goal wasn’t just to embarrass the Europeans but to create a new political reality that forces Brussels to treat his administration as a legitimate counterpart to Tripoli’s internationally recognized government.

According to a Brussels source familiar with the incident, the Libyan side made clear that “in the meeting with Haftar, the government and the prime minister will also be present.”

Despite repeated efforts by the European side, the Libyans refused, insisting: “We are the government.” The source told Euronews. “It was obviously a trap.”

Despite Europe’s attempts to save face by pushing for a military-only meeting or including Tripoli reps for balance, Libya’s eastern authorities stood firm on a political show—ultimately forcing the delegation’s expulsion.

This escalation didn’t come out of nowhere. Benghazi’s government is gaining confidence, boosted by expanding military strength and financial resources—backed in part by a steady flow of Russian arms and logistical support from Cairo and Abu Dhabi.

“In recent weeks, there have been significant developments, and the eastern government has become emboldened. Now they have Russian weapons, so they are very powerful — and have a lot of money,” another source familiar with the issue told Euronews.

“This government is trying to assert itself and is using all forms of pressure,” the source added, citing migrant departures to Europe as an example. Their aim is to “to push Tripoli aside and be the only government.”

Despite rising tensions, some European capitals attempted to downplay the incident, calling it a “protocol misunderstanding.” Italy’s interior minister described the incident as a “sudden cancellation of a meeting,” not a political snub—though he also admitted it was a “serious incident.”

The shock within EU institutions was clear. In response, Greece took a precautionary step and temporarily suspended asylum requests from North African arrivals.

Sharp Backlash

In Italy, the fallout was immediate. Opposition lawmakers criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, highlighting the irony of Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi being expelled from Libya—despite his administration’s hardline stance on migration.

“Piantedosi was sent back from Libya for illegal entry. I was about to write a sarcastic comment, but facts have done the job perfectly,” Democratic Party MP Matteo Orfini posted on X.

The episode quickly became political ammunition in Italy, exposing contradictions in the right-wing government’s rhetoric on migration and its standing on the international stage.

“The European visit had originally been arranged solely to meet with retired general Khalifa Haftar and discuss irregular migration,” Libyan journalist Omar al-Hassi told Al-Estiklal.

“However, the surprise came when Haftar attempted to impose the presence of Osama Hamad, head of the parallel eastern government, in the meeting—an intentional move, to give political legitimacy to an administration that lacks international recognition.”

EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner firmly rejected the proposal, stressing that his mandate was limited to meeting Haftar alone.

When the European delegation refused to comply with the pressure, Haftar canceled the meeting—prompting the delegation to leave.

Al-Hassi noted that the narrative was flipped when Hamad’s government rushed to issue a statement claiming it had expelled the delegation in defense of Libyan sovereignty, calling it a clear attempt to manufacture a hollow media victory.

He described the entire episode as “a transparent diplomatic charade,” pointing out the contradiction in Haftar’s behavior: just 48 hours earlier, he had hosted the Greek foreign minister in Benghazi without raising any issues of sovereignty or protocol.

“How does meeting the Greek interior minister suddenly become a breach of sovereignty just two days after hosting the foreign minister from the same country?” al-Hassi said.

“Such inconsistencies reflect either a fundamental ignorance of basic diplomatic norms or a desperate attempt to force international recognition of the eastern government. When that failed, Haftar resorted to fabricating a crisis to cover the setback and spin it as a win.”

Al-Hassi said the EU’s stance was clear—and firm: it treated Haftar as a de facto actor on the ground but refused to extend any political legitimacy to Hamad’s government.

That position, he added, was evident in Commissioner Brunner’s post on X, which completely ignored Benghazi and made no mention of the expulsion—something al-Hassi described as “a silent diplomatic rebuttal.”

“Invoking sovereignty and dragging international delegations into meetings with unrecognized bodies only reveals the depth of Haftar’s political crisis and a glaring lack of diplomatic and strategic vision in his dealings with the international community,” the journalist said.