In light of the upcoming discussion later on this evening in the European Parliament’s plenary session on the situation of migrants in Libya, S&D Group vice-president Elena Valenciano MEP said:
 
"Thousands of human beings are facing dismal conditions in Libya and the only reason being they are migrants just aiming for a better and decent life. We need to put more efforts into the protection of these people and their rights. Europe will not succeed just on the protection of its borders or by only trying to stem the flows.
 
"In the current extremely complex situation in Libya, we need even more transparency on what we are doing there and with whom we are doing it. In the short term, we need voluntary returns to countries of origin to be accompanied by the necessary resources in support of their reintegration, and member states should step up their efforts to resettle a substantial number of refugees from Africa. In the long term, only a true partnership and the opening of further safe and legal ways for migrants will bring the sustainable management that is needed by all sides of this humane phenomenon, both for African and European countries."
 
S&D MEP Antonio Panzeri, chairman of the subcommittee on human rights and EP rapporteur on Libya, said:
 
"The severe and persisting dramatic situation that Libya is facing today is exacerbated by the horrendous breach of human rights violations of migrants in the Libyan detention camps. S&Ds strongly condemn all the these serious human rights violations. The European Union must increase its commitment for a long term stabilisation of Libya in the context of the UN-facilitated political process, and further invest in Africa in order to truly fight the root causes of migration. It is crucial to open a frank discussion on the current migration policy, and to implement a real human rights management monitoring with the full involvement of all key players as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN and the African Union."