Giada Oricchio January 27, 2023
EU immigration brake and NGOs at anchor. As the daily newspaper “La Repubblica” reported today, the longer voyages to the safe harbors assigned by the Italian government from time to time are forcing rescue ships at sea to hoist the white flag. Long distances require greater economic resources – also due to the increase in fuel prices – and the costs become prohibitive.
So Geo Barents and Ocean Viking will run out of resources after three voyages. The Spanish Open Arms and the Italian Mare Jonio are stopped, as well as the Amnesty International ship, the Germans, Sea Eye, Mission Lifeline, Sos Humanity. Sea Watch left yesterday, January 26, “thanks to the efforts of supporters”, as NGO President Gordon Isler explained to La Repubblica, specifying that “the other five missions planned for 2023 have not yet found funding”.
The article also takes stock of the anti-NGO measures requested by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi: “He is now waiting for his provision to be translated into law. And in the meantime, he lands on the European negotiating table on the new pact on asylum and immigration, his proposal for a third route to repatriation, following what seems to have become the line capable of securing the approval of the 27th EU to speed up countries under Swedish Presidency. (…). In Stockholm, at the first meeting of European interior ministers, Piantedosi presented his project of “assisted forced returns”: a third way compared to the forced returns and assisted voluntary returns, which are dealt with by the IOM, however, in such a number that the number of irregular Migrants staying in Europe”.
The key points of the agreement would be: strengthening borders, increased returns and effective solidarity with countries in difficulty, as the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, underlined in a letter to the heads of state and government of the EU.