Italy does not want to welcome hundreds of boat people

Two vessels of the Frontex agency today rescued more than 400 refugees from the precarious situation of a wooden boat in the Mediterranean and brought them into Italian waters

The Fate of the people was not clear: the Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini in the country, but send to Malta or back in Libya. Malta rejects a registration but of. Refugees first stayed on ships in the Mediterranean

Minister of the Interior issues conditions

According to Italian media, Salvini, at a meeting with Prime Minister Guiseppe Conti, insisted on rejecting the refugees. Salvini, who is also the leader of the right-wing party Lega, justified his rigorous attitude by the action against Schlepper: "It takes an act of justice, respect and courage to fight against the traffickers," he said. stated at the meeting. Conte

The Prime Minister fixed the conditions for the landing of the refugees: they would land in Italy only if they were immediately distributed in other EU countries.

Controversy with Malta and hard

Italy and Malta had In recent weeks, many times discussed about the responsibility of refugee vessels. Last month, Malta had to embark the Lifeline refugee ship with 234 people on board. A few days earlier, Italy and Malta had rejected the rescue vessel "Aquarius" with 630 refugees on board, so it had to be redirected to Spain.

Salvini wants to reduce to zero the number of refugees arriving in Italy. In June he had decided that ships badisting refugees on board should no longer be allowed to dock in Italian ports. Italy is the main destination for refugees arriving in the EU from Africa via the Mediterranean.