Greece takes over the Force Command of IRINI

 The EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, the European joint mission in Libya, announced on Monday that Commodore Theodoros Mikropoulos, from the Hellenic Navy, finished his assignment as Chief of Staff of Operation and he will take on the position of Force Commander. As programmed, after six months Italy leave the Force Command of the EU joint mission to Greece.

Colonel Filippo Quagliato, from the Italian Air Force, handed over the duty in the presence of the Operation Commander, Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini. “Commodore Mitropoulos was truly precious, he was very useful and measured in a complex the moment also due to the Coronavirus,” Agostini affirmed. Theodoros Mitropoulos was born in Athens in 1965, has held numerous administrative positions on a regular, operational, and strategic level.

The European Council officially adopted the decision to launch the Eunavfor Med Irini operation last March. The main task of the mission remains the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya. Simultaneously with the launch of the Irini mission, the previous one, Operation Sophia ended its activities permanently. The Irini mission (peace in Greek) uses ships and air and satellite vehicles.

In particular, the operation carried out inspections on the high seas, off the coast of Libya, on vessels suspected of carrying weapons or similar material to or from Libya, according to the resolution of the United Nations Security Council.

Among Irini's secondary tasks is monitoring and gathering information on illegal oil exports from Libya. It also participates in reinforce the capacities and the training of coastguards and soldiers of the Libyan navy for activities at sea. Irini also contributes to the dismantling of the business model of trafficking networks. The mission's mandate will initially last until March 31, 2021.