While the first ninety migrants are being transferred from the Aquarius ship to those of the Italian Coast Guard which will take them to Valencia, the very harsh words of the other European countries arrive on the Government's choice of close the ports and deny the landing to the NGOs.
Commenting on the decision of the Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, and the Minister of Infrastructure, Danilo Toninelli, are our main European partners: Spain and France. Madrid speaks of a behavior "subject to criminal violations" while the President Macron's spokesman attacks Italy's "cynicism and irresponsibility".
THE EU SOCIALISTS
This morning the first to speak were the European socialists who took it directly on the number one of the Interior Ministry. The S&D leader, Udo Bullmann, stated that "What Salvini does who wants to demonstrate his ideas by force and to the detriment of pregnant women it shows how poor he can be“. And again: "This is a change in Italian policy that is not defensible".
The vice president of the EU Commission is more cautious, Frans Timmermans, who speaks of a "collective problem", admitting that in the management of migrants Italy "has been left alone for too long".
The European Commissioner for Immigration also lowers his tone, Dimitris Avramopoulos: ”I don't play the blame game. Much attention has been given to the Aquarius affair – Avramopoulos declares – but this is only an accident, a case”. In these hours, continues the EU representative, “Italy is rescuing another 900 migrants and maintains its responsibilities. I want to express my thanks for the herculean efforts Italy has made over the past three years, and for that it must be commended. The Commission will continue to support Italy“. However, the Eurocommissioner criticized the Italian veto on the additional European funding of 3 billion for Turkey. "We need to support both Turkey and North Africa and in particular Libya on migrants" specified Avramopoulos.
SPAIN: CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS
The Iberian Minister of Justice, Dolores Delgado explained that "it is not a question of doing good or generosity, but of humanitarian law. There may be criminal liability international organizations for violating human rights treaties”. "It is a question of humanity – she added – but also of respecting the agreements and treaties to which all states are parties".
FRANCE: “MARITIME LAW VIOLATED”
The toughest comment came from the spokesperson for The Republic In March, the party founded by the French president, which defined the position of the Italian government towards the Aquarius ship of the NGO Sos Mediterranéè "vomiting".
Benjamin Griveaux, spokesman for Emmanuel Macron, instead denounced Italy's violation of the maritime law according to which "in case of difficulty, the countries with the closest coast" to a ship launching a distress call "have the responsibility to answer". Italy's no, on the other hand, is "cynical and irresponsible".
The premier also arrived in the late afternoon to increase the dose Edouard Philippe: “Italy has chosen not to respect its international obligations”.
ITALY REACTS
Heavy words those that come from Paris but are returned to the sender by Chigi Palace: " Italy cannot accept hypocritical lessons from countries that have always preferred to look the other way when it comes to immigration".
The reference is undoubtedly to what happened, amid general dismay, in Ventimiglia and Bardonecchia but also to the management of the Libyan question by the French government. It should also be underlined that France itself took the decision to close its ports (triggering appropriate controversies) for some time now.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini also speaks out, asking Europe for "concrete help": "we don't want money, we are interested in concrete help on the thousands of relocations that are only on paper and are not effective". According to the minister, the goal must be to «reduce departures and have the north of the African continent as a host country and of selection between real refugees and fake refugees».
SHIPS TO VALENCIA AND CATANIA
It started ithe transhipment of part of the 629 present on board the Aquarius ship. On the basis of what has been established in fact, two Italian ships will accompany the vessel which should arrive in Valencia in four days: the Dattilo of the Coast Guard and a navy unit on which doctors of the Order of the Knights of Malta and Unicef personnel will be present for the support of minors.
PRESS RELEASE - #Aquarius receives instructions to reach a safe port in #spagna: https://t.co/ky49SR0ClI
● 629 men, women and children rescued in #Mediterranean they will disembark in Valencia
● The safety and protection of people should be the priority pic.twitter.com/fOumXJ7cKi
— SOS MEDITERRANEE ITA (@SOSMedItalia) 12 June 2018
In the meantime it is expected for June 13, at 8 am, in Catania the ship Diciotti of the Italian Coast Guard with 937 people on board, an arrival that inaugurates the new Italian policy on the management of migrants: ports open to military ships, ports closed for NGOs.
Finally, we recall that on 13 June at 11, the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Salvini, will report on the matter in the Senate Hall. The deputy prime minister had a telephone conversation with his German counterpart Horst Seehofer, agreeing on the presentation of a “joint proposal on the protection of the EU's external borders”.
(Last update: 18.40)
