Brussels, Feb 3: Asserting the need to immediately curb illegal immigrants from flooding into the European Union, the bloc's chief Donald Tusk has moved to curb all illegal Libyan refugees coming in from the Mediterranean Sea route. 

 "Now it is time to close down the route from Libya to Italy. The EU has shown that it is capable of shuting down all irregular migration routes especially from the Eastern Mediterranean pasasge", Tusk said after talks in Brussels with Libyan Premier Fayez Al Serraj and earlier with Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
 
"We owe it first and foremost to those who suffer and risk their lives. But we also owe it to Italians and all Europeans," Tusk said.
 
 He warned that migrant drowning were expected to increase as the warmer spring weather arrived. Tusk further added that there would be "additional measures" announced at Friday's summit in Malta to "more effectively combat the trafficking networks and better manage migratory flows".
 
 The bloc is boosting the training of Tripoli's coast guard and offering more money and aid to Libya and other African countries to seal their borders so migrants seeking better lives in Europe do not get through.
 
 Serraj, who heads Libya's UN-backed unity government, said the EU had so far earmarked insufficient resources for his country. The EU has not given an overall figure for its aid to Libya but Serraj called it "a small amount".
 
 Tusk reiterated his "full support" for Serraj's government but "urged all Libyans to put aside their differences" to allow the EU to "make a greater commitment" to the country.