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Meloni vows to prevent Italy from becoming Europe's 'refugee camp'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Sep 2023 18:16

While Meloni acknowledged the challenging migrant situation, she expressed optimism that international organizations would assist in finding a solution to the crisis.

Migrants try to sleep outside on Lampedusa Island, Italy, on Sept. 14, 2023. (AP)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed on Wednesday that she will prevent her country from becoming a camp for refugees in Europe because of the large influx of refugees arriving from Africa and Asia.

"I will not let Italy become a camp for refugees in Europe. It is necessary to declare war against human traffickers," Meloni told reporters on Tuesday ahead of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York.

The prime minister further acknowledged the challenging migrant situation, particularly on the island of Lampedusa, and expressed optimism that international organizations would assist in finding a solution to the crisis.

Last week, the Italian island of Lampedusa declared a state of emergency due to over 8,000 undocumented migrants arriving in just three days, surpassing the island's permanent population. Lampedusa's Mayor, Filippo Mannino, described the situation as nearing a breaking point.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Lampedusa and pledged support for Italy to address the migrant influx. She proposed a ten-point action plan, known as the "Plan for Lampedusa," which includes repatriation for those without asylum, cooperation with Tunisia for development, and actions against migrant smuggling.

Italian interior ministry estimates indicate that since January, more than 130,000 migrants have entered Italy via the sea. This represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year when the number of migrants was slightly over 68,000.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced plans to increase the deportation of undocumented migrants by establishing dedicated detention facilities in every region of the country.

Presently, Italy has ten of these centers operational, with one temporarily closed for maintenance, according to the Minister.

The responsibility for constructing facilities for these migrants, expected to be situated in sparsely populated regions, will fall under the purview of the country's defense ministry.

According to Italian media estimates, implementing this new accommodation standard for migrants will incur a cost of more than 60 million euros ($64.1 million) for the country.