In a significant development, the Naval Force of Operation IRINI has announced the appointment of Greek Commander Konstantinos Bakalakos as the new leader of the force in the Mediterranean. He succeeds Italian Valentino Rinaldi in this crucial role.
The change of command ceremony was held on board the Italian ship San Giusto, stationed in Naples. Bakalakos will command the Mediterranean force for a period of six months, marking a task exchange operation with his Italian counterpart.
Bakalakos will be supported by a multinational crew from the Greek frigate “Aegean”. The team will soon be joined by the Italian frigate “Grecale”, following instructions from Admiral Stefano Turcito.
As the commander, Bakalakos will be responsible for all air and sea resources in the central Mediterranean operational area. This includes overseeing operational and logistical structures on Irini’s ground.
Operation Irini plays a pivotal role in gathering intelligence information for the Security Council. It also assists in combating illegal oil exports from Libya and human trafficking in the region.
The Irini command has expressed concerns about the lack of stability in Libya’s internal monitoring movement. With an increase in weapons in the region, there is a growing risk of violent consequences and a rising tendency among internal actors to resolve crises by force.
Since its launch on March 31, 2020, Operation Irini has issued 42 special reports to the United Nations Expert Committee on Libya. These reports are in line with international Security Council resolutions that prohibit sending weapons and related materials to Libya in the Mediterranean.
In two separate incidents, approximately 150 vehicles intended for military use were seized. These were sent in violation of the ban imposed under United Nations Resolution No. 1970 of 2011.
Source: Deco 39
