Italy’s new hard line on migration policy is a message by which it asks the other countries of the European Union (EU) to play their role, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, in an interview published on Wednesday and quoted by AFP, writes https://debesoin.com/.
In the opinion of the head of Italian diplomacy, the reception by France of a humanitarian ship of the SOS Méditerranée that wanted to disembark in Italy shows that this strategy is working, even if Paris did not confirm such an offer and condemned the “unacceptable behavior” of Italy.
The new far-right government, led by Giorgia Meloni, allowed two aid ships to dock in Sicily over the weekend, but only the most vulnerable migrants were given the right to disembark in the first phase, especially women and minors.
In the face of the pressure of some NGOs, who drew attention to the hygiene conditions on board, the other passengers were able to disembark in turn on Tuesday evening.
Asked by journalists, Tajani confirmed that this selective approach is a signal. “And the decision of President (French Emmanuel) Macron to open the port of Marseille to Ocean Viking shows that something is moving,” he said.
“We are grateful to France, which has shown its willingness to take a decision that reduces the pressure on Italy, demonstrating that it understands the need for a firm solidarity approach between the EU countries,” said Tajani.
On Tuesday evening, the press service of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that she thanks France, which, according to her, would have accepted to receive the Ocean Viking in one of its ports, with 234 migrants on board.
On Wednesday, however, French government spokesman Olivier Véran called on Italy to “play its role” and “respect its European commitments” by receiving the Ocean Viking, which remains in Italian territorial waters.
Assuring that Italy respects international law, Tajani stated that the government will raise the issue of immigration at the EU Council of Ministers next week.
Rome wants “an agreement to establish, based on population, how migrants who have the right to asylum are resettled in different countries,” he said.
Italy is also pushing for the EU to strike deals with North African countries to stop migrants leaving and “arrest traffickers, who destroy the engines of their boats”.
