The small island of Lampedusa has welcomed a record number of illegal immigrants in recent months, most of them Africans who see the island as their only way to enter Europe Photo: EFE/Gonzalo Sanchez
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited the island of Lampedusa this Sunday (17) at the invitation of the Italian Government, following a serious crisis in the region caused by the arrival of more than 10,000 people in just three days .
Given the situation, the European Union presented an emergency plan to help Italy deal with record migration, which relies on the support of the bloc’s member states and allies bordering the crisishit country.
The aid plan includes the distribution of asylum seekers among the European countries belonging to the bloc, as well as measures to prevent new cases that put pressure on Italy’s logistics and administrative systems.
“We ask the other member states (of the European Union) to use the voluntary solidarity mechanism,” explained Die Leyen, emphasizing that “irregular migration is a European challenge that requires a common response.”
The European leader also said that she counts on the partnership of neighboring countries, which act as a gateway for immigration and facilitate the actions of criminals on illegal routes. “We will decide who comes to the European Union and under what circumstances. Not the smugglers,” said von der Leyen after her visit to the island.
Italy’s reaction
The Italian government announced this Monday (18) the opening of new repatriation centers for illegal migrants and the extension of the detention period to 18 months, amid the crisis caused by the arrival on the island of Lampedusa.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Council of Ministers is meeting to adopt a legislative decree that tasks the Defense Ministry with setting up “as soon as possible” the socalled CPRs, centers where illegal migrants wait to leave the country, government sources told EFE with .
Italy has facilities spread across Turin, Rome, Bari and Brindisi. However, the intention is to open at least one in every Italian region.
The new CPRs will be installed in locations with “low population density that can be easily demarcated and monitored,” Meloni explained.
In addition, the period of detention of irregular migrants before their expulsion will be increased to 18 months, the maximum period allowed by the European Union (EU).
“We will have the necessary time not only to carry out the necessary investigations, but also to proceed with the repatriation of those who are not entitled to international protection,” the prime minister said at the meeting.
For asylum seekers, the legislation remains unchanged and they can stay in the country for up to 12 months.
Meloni, who is facing the arrival of almost 130,000 immigrants in Italy this year, had already announced last Friday the extension of the detention period for irregular migrants.
“I want to send a clear message to those who enter Italy illegally: it is not advisable to trust human traffickers because they ask for a lot of money, they put people on boats that are often not prepared for these journeys, and in general.” “If someone enters the country illegally, they will be deported and repatriated,” he said.
The Italian government plans to adopt new measures for unaccompanied migrant children next week.
The government is trying to manage the new wave of migration at its southern border, particularly on the small island of Lampedusa off the coast of Africa.
With numbers constantly changing, 129,869 migrants have arrived on Italy’s shores so far this year, almost twice as many as in the same period in 2022 (68,195) and three times more than in 2021 (43,265), according to updated data from the Interior Ministry shows.
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