Of a Lebanon more and more in the crisis we run away. Entire families and individuals are fleeing. Not always and not only Lebanese. For years, the land of the cedars has received overcrowded refugee camps filled with Palestinians and Syrians. They are all caught up in the financial, economic and social crisis that has plagued the country for at least three years, plunging at least two-thirds of families into a state of poverty.
Last December, the Beirut-based research center Information International estimated that at least 200,000 people have left Lebanon in the past two years. From the capital to Bekka, through the south of the country, you can reach the coasts Tripolithe northern city of the same name in the Libyan capital, and from there it goes to Europe.
Til today Cyprus it was the most desired goal. The reason is obvious: the geographic proximity between the island and the Lebanese coasts has always allowed faster crossings than other routes. But now the situation is changing.
In particular, the Beirut media have paid close attention to some statements made by Lebanese refugees trying to reach Italy. And also in the local media there were more and more people who wanted to extend the shipping and try to land along the Italian coasts.
The witnesses, interviewed by the Lebanese media, spoke of boats going to Italy but then turned around to head towards Italy Greece “By the European Coast Guard”. The reference probably refers to a ship owned by the Frontex agency that operates between the two Central Mediterranean and the Oriental. It is possible that the military ordered the migrants to continue their journey to Italy and asked them to change course.
It is also possible to assume that the boats were diverted to Greece due to the very close ties between the Greek and Cypriot authorities. Migrants could therefore be referred to the island, whose government has reached agreements with Beirut on faster repatriation due to the large influx of Lebanese in recent years.
Why Lebanese migrants are now focused on Italy
In any case, the testimonies reported by the Lebanese media, also accompanied by some videos, speak of an Italy that is becoming increasingly popular. And no wonder. Today, given the agreements between Cyprus and Lebanon, migrants can hardly intend to land on an island from which the risk of immediate repatriation is high.
At the same time, the route that leads from the eastern Mediterranean coasts to Italy has been heavily frequented for years. So it is with those trips that have their starting point on the Turkish coast, but in any case in Lebanon have already had the opportunity to see that it is not impossible to go directly to our country.
After all, in recent years hundreds of Bengalis, Syrians and Afghans have landed along our peninsula from Turkey, thus “skipping” Greece. At the moment since Ministry of the Interior No important figures are reported from Lebanon. Looking at the list of nationalities most represented among migrants arriving in Italy, Lebanese is absent from the top ten. But immigration from Beirut may just be the beginning.
This is also confirmed by some operations by the Lebanese police. On June 7, local authorities arrested 64 people who were ready to embark. Several of them have indicated in Italy the destination they want to reach if they manage to set sail.