The issue of migration and the work of German aid organizations in the Mediterranean have long caused tensions between Rome and Berlin. Is the dispute now threatening to escalate?
In the dispute over German financial aid for organizations that look after boat migrants in Italy, the right-wing government in Rome is taking an increasingly harsh tone against Berlin. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto spoke in the newspaper “La Stampa” of “very serious” behavior.
“Berlin is thus acting as if it does not know that it is causing problems for a country with which it is theoretically ‘friends’.” Crosetto belongs to the ultra-right largest government party, Fratelli d’Italia. Protest also came from the smaller coalition partner Lega.
There have been tensions between Rome and Berlin for a long time
Rome sees it as interference in domestic Italian affairs that the federal government wants to support aid organizations that look after migrants on Italian soil. The Foreign Office pointed out on Friday that this was implementing a decision by the Bundestag.
The first money – between 400,000 and 800,000 euros each – should be paid out “shortly” to a project for supply on land and a project for rescue at sea. One of the organizations is SOS Humanity.
The issue of migration and the work of private German aid organizations in the Mediterranean have long been a source of tension between Rome and Berlin, even during the times of previous governments. Meloni had announced tough measures during the election campaign to reduce the number of boat migrants arriving in Italy.
In fact, more than 130,000 boat refugees have been registered since the beginning of the year, twice as many as in the same period in 2022. More than 10,000 arrived on the small island of Lampedusa alone this month.
Source: Stern
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