Spain to TAKE IN 630 migrants on board refugee ship after Italy and Malta TURN AWAY boat
SPAIN has pledged to take in a migrant ship stranded in the Mediterranean after Italy's new interior minister Matteo Salvini blocked the boat from docking in any of the country's harbours.
The minister is being seen as making good on ‘get-tough’ anti-immigration electoral promises by banning the boat in a move which has seismic implications for the EU and international asylum policy.The ship Aquarius, carrying 629 migrants from Libya, including seven pregnant women, is operated by the charities Medecins Sans Frontieres and Sos Mediterranee.
But after Italy's block Spain offered to take in the migrants, with new prime minister Pedro Sanchez instructing port officials to welcome the ship into Valencia.
The PM’s office said: “It is our duty to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and offer a safe port to these people, to comply with our human rights obligations.”
The Spanish intervention came after Mr Salvini took to Facebook to demand Malta take in the migrants. He wrote: “Enough. Saving lives is a duty, transforming Italy in a refugee camp isn’t.
“Italy is done with taking orders, this time there is someone saying no.
“Malta takes in nobody.
“France pushes people back at the border, Spain defends its frontier with weapons.
“From today, Italy will also start to say no to human trafficking, no to the business of illegal immigration.”
But Mr Salvini’s demand incensed Maltese politicians who also refused to take in the migrants.
Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat said: “The Italian government is breaching international rules and, with its attitude, is risking to create a situation that would be dangerous to everyone.
“Malta is respecting international rules and, therefore, can’t let Aquarius dock at its port.
“France pushes people back at the border, Spain defends its frontier with weapons.
“From today, Italy will also start to say no to human trafficking, no to the business of illegal immigration.”
But Mr Salvini’s demand incensed Maltese politicians who also refused to take in the migrants.
Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat said: “The Italian government is breaching international rules and, with its attitude, is risking to create a situation that would be dangerous to everyone.
“Malta is respecting international rules and, therefore, can’t let Aquarius dock at its port.
Lega's Matteo Salvini is refusing of letting an humanitarian boat carrying immigrants entering Italy
“Nevertheless I am very worried for the direction taken by Italian authorities.”
On Sunday Maltese defence experts even accused the new Italian government of deliberately inflaming pan-European politics, according to Italian newspaper Repubblica.
One said: “Rome is seeking a diplomatic incident”.
They explained that Valletta had no responsibility over the people aboard of Aquarius as they had been saved by Italian Navy in Libyan waters.
SOS Mediterranee confirmed that there were 629 people on board, including 123 unaccompanied minors, 11 other children and seven pregnant women after being involved in six rescue operations off the coast of Libya.
One of the rescues was carried out in collaboration with Italian naval units, which later transferred the refugees onto the Aquarius.
The charity added on Twitter: “We have acknowledged what was stated by the Italian interior minister to Italian media.
Around 550,000 migrants reached Italy between 2014 and 2017
On Sunday Maltese defence experts even accused the new Italian government of deliberately inflaming pan-European politics, according to Italian newspaper Repubblica.
One said: “Rome is seeking a diplomatic incident”.
They explained that Valletta had no responsibility over the people aboard of Aquarius as they had been saved by Italian Navy in Libyan waters.
SOS Mediterranee confirmed that there were 629 people on board, including 123 unaccompanied minors, 11 other children and seven pregnant women after being involved in six rescue operations off the coast of Libya.
One of the rescues was carried out in collaboration with Italian naval units, which later transferred the refugees onto the Aquarius.
The charity added on Twitter: “We have acknowledged what was stated by the Italian interior minister to Italian media.
“Our only goal is to let the people we assisted yesterday in difficult conditions to dock in a secure port.”
Italian politicians were split over Mr Salvini’s decision.
Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli, who is nominally in charge of the ports, said: “Malta cannot continue looking the other way when it comes to respecting international conventions.”
But the mayor of Naples opposed to the direction taken by the government.
Left-wing mayor Luigi De Magistris said he would welcome in the humanitarian boat and added: “Naples is ready, without funds, to save lives.”
The Dublin Regulation, the set of EU rules focused on immigration, generally require the migrants' first country of entry to examine their asylum claims.
By not letting migrants in, Mr Salvini is trying to avoid Italy to take upon itself this burden.
Italian politicians were split over Mr Salvini’s decision.
Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli, who is nominally in charge of the ports, said: “Malta cannot continue looking the other way when it comes to respecting international conventions.”
But the mayor of Naples opposed to the direction taken by the government.
Left-wing mayor Luigi De Magistris said he would welcome in the humanitarian boat and added: “Naples is ready, without funds, to save lives.”
The Dublin Regulation, the set of EU rules focused on immigration, generally require the migrants' first country of entry to examine their asylum claims.
By not letting migrants in, Mr Salvini is trying to avoid Italy to take upon itself this burden.
Malta's PM Joseph Muscat accused Italy of breaching international rules
And
the crisis between the Mediterranean countries may be far from being
over, as Italian newspaper Repubblica reported that 800 more people have
been saved by both Italian and international boats in Libyan waters
overnight.
More than 550,000 migrants have arrived in Italy between June 2014 and June 2017.
Following an agreement between the Italian and Libyan governments, the number fell in 2018.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a United Nations body which aims at protecting refugees, 13,313 people reached Italy in the first five months of the year compared to 60,000 over the same period in 2017.
The United Nations estimates that at least 500 people have died in 2018 trying to cross the central Mediterranean, following 2,853 fatalities last year.
More than 550,000 migrants have arrived in Italy between June 2014 and June 2017.
Following an agreement between the Italian and Libyan governments, the number fell in 2018.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a United Nations body which aims at protecting refugees, 13,313 people reached Italy in the first five months of the year compared to 60,000 over the same period in 2017.
The United Nations estimates that at least 500 people have died in 2018 trying to cross the central Mediterranean, following 2,853 fatalities last year.
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