TRIPOLI, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Libya's United Nations (UN)-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj Thursday urged the European Union (EU) mission to return quickly to provide assistance.

"The Prime Minister called for a quick return of the EU mission to work with all its capabilities from inside Libya. He also stressed the importance of the partnership between Libya and the EU, and the establishment of joint programs to help Libya overcome its current crisis, which includes security, illegal immigration and economic recovery," said the media office of the Prime Minister in a statement.

According to the statement, Serraj made his remarks during a meeting with EU Ambassador to Libya Bettina Muscheidt in the capital city of Tripoli.

The two officials discussed the latest political developments in Libya as well as mutual cooperation programs in fighting illegal immigration, training of Libyan Coast Guards and economic recovery programs.

Serraj said the upcoming elections in Libya must be conducted on a legal and constitutional basis and asked the EU to provide technical support for the elections.

Ghassan Salame, the special representative of the UN secretary-general and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), said earlier on Wednesday that a constitutional framework is important for the upcoming elections.

Last November, Salame said the UNSMIL was seeking to ensure that the elections will be held before the end of September 2018.

On Dec. 6, the Libya Higher Commission of Elections opened a two-month registration for voters and recently extended the registration until mid-February.