Migrant arrivals in Lampedusa are not slowing down

Against the background of the wave of migration towards Lampedusa, the Italian Council of Ministers in Rome is taking further measures to combat illegal immigration.

On Sunday, 271 migrants arrived in Lampedusa on board seven boats. The authorities reported that other boats with hundreds of people on board were heading towards the island. There are currently 1,104 people in the Lampedusa hotspot, the authorities said. Last week, 11,000 people reached the 20 square kilometer island, which is home to 6,300 people.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Sunday during a visit to Lampedusa accompanied by EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen that the detention of people who arrived irregularly in Italy for repatriation purposes would be extended to the maximum possible period under European regulations: 18 months. The government also wants to give the Ministry of Defense a mandate to set up centers for the deportation of migrants.

Women and minors are exempt from the extension of detention pending deportation

“I have always been of the opinion that in the treatment of arriving migrants, a distinction should be made between single men of working age, mothers and children under 14 years of age. This is also the subject of the measures that we will take tomorrow in the Council of Ministers. “, explained Meloni at a press conference with von der Leyen. Women and minors under the age of 14 are exempt from the extension of detention pending deportation. Von der Leyen, for her part, presented a general European emergency plan to deal with the refugee crisis. With the help of a ten-point program, asylum seekers are to be better distributed among European countries and further mass arrivals of migrants are to be prevented.

Citizen protests for the first time

Meloni and von der Leyen act under pressure from the residents of Lampedusa. For the first time there were civil protests on the island between Sicily and Tunisia. Dozens of residents blocked the convoy with the politicians on the way from the airport to the island’s refugee facility. There were tense moments. The protesters demanded to speak to Meloni. The head of government got out of the car and promised that she would do everything possible to support the island, which has been hit hard by the wave of migration. The demonstrators then decided to clear the street.

Protests broke out on Saturday over alleged plans to set up a tent camp for migrants on Lampedusa, as the island’s hotspot is overcrowded. “It’s over, Lampedusa belongs to us and not to the EU,” some demonstrators chanted. They withdrew when the police chief of the Sicilian city of Agrigento, Emanuele Ricifari, assured one of the demonstrators that the tents were only used to house Red Cross personnel and that no camp for migrants was planned.

At their joint press conference, Meloni and von der Leyen praised the efforts of the citizens of Lampedusa to care for the migrants. Meloni explained that the government in Rome had released 45 million euros to increase infrastructure on the island. The government wants to help the island’s residents.

Nehammer holds out the prospect of border controls

At the weekend, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) considered or promised extraordinary controls at the borders with Schengen partner Italy due to the situation in Lampedusa. The Tyrolean state police director Helmut Tomac explained the current situation to the “Tiroler Tageszeitung” (Monday): “We always look at the situation very closely. Especially in view of the situation on Lampedusa. But we notice that the current route does not go over the Brenner Pass leads.” The apprehensions of people who entered the country irregularly in Tyrol have increased “marginally”, “but not noticeably”. Many migrants would either stay in Italy or move on to France and Spain.

Meanwhile, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced his visit to Rome. He is scheduled to meet his Italian counterpart Matteo Piantedosi on Monday afternoon. “At the request of President Emmanuel Macron, I will travel to Rome. We want to support Italy in protecting its external borders,” said Darmanin, according to Italian media. Darmanin announced last week that police would be strengthened along the French-Italian border to curb illegal entry.

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