EU countries accept migrants from ships rejected by Italy

Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and Malta offered to receive a total of 250 migrants and refugees picked up by two military ships in the Mediterranean this weekend. But ships are still waiting in front of the coast of Sicily, in the green light of Italy, to add a dock.

Baby food, milk and juice were among the supplies that were delivered to migrants and refugees on Sunday. Help is needed during the heat of the war and will take place the following day, but it may take time before they land and ask for asylum.

Many of the 450 come to the origin of Eritrea. They were aboard a crowded fishing boat outside the small Italian island of Linosa when they were picked up Saturday by a Frontex ship and an Italian Border Police boat in the Mediterranean . Migrants and refugees resembled tens of thousands of others from Libya.

Pregnant and dehydrated

On Sunday night, more than 450 people were brought ashore in Pozzallo, Sicily, according to Italian media reports. That's a total of 70 people who are babies, pregnant women or who are suffering from dehydration. Some of them were hospitalized. Among the evacuees was a woman who weighed only 35 kilograms after spending several months in Libya.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte calls for other EU leaders to honor the June summit pledge to share the burden of migration.

Several countries followed up. France and Malta offered to receive 50 each. On Sunday, the German government confirmed that they also agreed to accept 50 of the 450 refused to land in Italy. The Government of Madrid announces the same evening that Spain and Portugal agree to take charge together 100.

– The goal is the fraternal distribution, says Conte, who praises the solidarity of his colleagues from The EU Sunday

Spain

Spain However, the condition is that all 450 are landed in an Italian port, and that Italy is also processing some of the asylum applications. Spain intends to deal individually with all new asylum applications.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis rejects Italy's call and calls the project "The road to hell"

from the Mediterranean landed in Italy. Rescue vessels of non-governmental organizations, such as Roma prosecutors for trafficking in human beings, were banned this summer from berthing.

Refugees

In June, French rescue vessels Aquarius and German Lifeline were forced to travel to Spain and Malta, respectively, with hundreds of migrants after Italy rejected them. A number of EU countries, including France, Portugal, Ireland and the Netherlands, have agreed to share responsibility for the 850 people on both vessels.

Earlier this week, about 80 of the refugees from Aquarius France arrived there asylum.

(© NTB)