Brunner, along with Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and delegations from Greece and Malta, was denied entry by the Government of National Stability (GNS) on July 8. The group had planned to discuss coordinated responses to the growing number of irregular migrants departing Libya’s northern shores for Europe.

According to a statement signed by GNS Prime Minister Osama Saad Hammad, the delegation’s visit was immediately canceled on arrival, citing “flagrant contravention of established diplomatic norms” and a violation of Libyan domestic law. The delegation was informed of their expulsion and instructed to leave the country immediately.

The GNS controls eastern Libya, including Benghazi, but operates in rivalry with the UN-recognised Government of National Unity (GNU), which governs western Libya from Tripoli.

Migration Disputes Deepen EU-Libya Divide

Though no specific reason for the expulsion was made public, the incident comes amid growing European pressure on Libyan authorities to contain migrant flows across the Mediterranean. Brussels has raised concerns over surging departures in recent weeks, triggering renewed diplomatic efforts.

The European Commission declined to comment on the expulsion. The move adds strain to already delicate relations between the EU and factions within Libya, as European countries struggle to form coherent migration policies while dealing with fragmented governance structures in the war-torn country.