Portugal guaranteed this Friday that it will welcome “some migrants” from the humanitarian ship ‘Ocean Viking’, which docked in Toulon, southern France, after seeking a safe haven in Italy for three weeks, and saluted Paris for the role it played in the trial. .
“Portugal will do its part by hosting some of the migrants from the #OceanViking ship, in line with our national and European values. We commend the important role France has played in this process,” wrote the Portuguese foreign minister, João Cravinho , on the network social twitter.
Portugal will do its part by hosting some of the ship’s migrants #OceanViking, in line with our national and European values. We welcome the important role France plays in this process.
– João Cravinho (@JoaoCravinho) November 11, 2022
In the message, Cravinho made no reference to Italy’s refusal to authorize the landing. The Lusa agency asked the foreign ministry for comment on the behavior of the new Italian government, but has not yet received a response.
According to French maritime authorities, the 234 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya, following a decision taken on an “exceptional basis”, disembarked this morning in Toulon. Ocean Viking’ lands in Italy.
From the criticism of the sanctions, Paris, through the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, on Thursday strengthened security on the border with Italy at a dozen border crossings, increasing the control of “petrol stations, secondary axes and highways, in particular the A8 , has increased. road exits and toll points”, as stated today by the French Directorate General of the National Police (DGPN).
About 500 police officers and gendarmes (militarized police) were deployed at checkpoints at “authorized crossing points” to ensure “H24 security”. [24 horas]said the same source.
Although most of the migrant access routes to France are in the Alpes-Maritimes, “the fortification is spreading to several points in other mountain areas”.
The Paris decision has already provoked a backlash from Italy’s new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who today criticized France’s “aggressive response” to demanding that the European Union (EU) also impose sanctions on Rome.
“When you talk about retaliation within the EU, there is something that is not working. I was impressed by the aggressive, incomprehensible and unjustified response from the French government,” Meloni said at a press conference, claiming that Italy is it may not be the only destination for migrants from Africa.
“It is not smart to consult with France, Spain, Greece, Malta or other countries. I want to find a common solution,” assured Meloni, who needs to find “a European solution” to the migration issue.
According to the French interior minister, France has also suspended “with immediate effect” the reception of 3,500 refugees, who should be transferred from Italian territory to French territory next summer, as part of an agreement under the European relocation mechanism in other European countries of refugees arriving in the main receiving countries, namely Italy.
“The Italian government is the loser,” said Gérald Darmanin, reiterating that “there will be extremely strong consequences for the bilateral relationship” between the two countries and for Italy’s relationship with the EU.
In the same statements, Gérald Darmanin also defended that “all other participants [no mecanismo]in particular Germany”, should also suspend the planned reception of refugees currently on Italian territory.
The ‘Ocean Viking’, of the European non-governmental organization (NGO) SOS Méditerranée, flying the Norwegian flag, had been at sea for 19 days, with 234 migrants on board, waiting for permission from the Italian authorities to dock in an Italian port.
As the NGO warned on Monday, the situation on board was already “unbearable” as the migrants showed “significant signs of anxiety and depression”.
According to the French interior minister, a third of passengers will be resettled on French territory, but those who do not meet the criteria to be asylum seekers will be “immediately returned”.
Italy’s new far-right government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has accused humanitarian organizations that rescue migrants at sea of encouraging the migration phenomenon.
Several ships carrying hundreds of migrants remained stranded off the Italian coast for days, despite the passengers’ health deteriorating.
Italy is covered by the so-called Central Mediterranean route, one of the deadliest migratory routes, which leaves Libya, Algeria and Tunisia towards Europe, namely the Italian and Maltese territories.
Source: DN
