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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for more European support as tensions grow between Rome and other EU capitals over immigration policy and Italy faces a mass exodus from North Africa.
Authorities say more than 12,000 people have arrived in Italy in the past week, mostly heading to Lampedusa, with thousands more waiting to make the relatively short journey to the Italian island from the Tunisian port city of Sfax.
Authorities have been working to transport newcomers from the island to Sicily and other parts of Italy amid concerns about overcrowding at Lampedusa’s migrant reception facility, which can only accommodate 400 people. The local population of Lampedusa is 6,000.
Solidarity from other EU member states remains scarce as France and Germany continue to criticize Italy for failing to register new arrivals who then travel to other countries and apply for asylum, in violation of EU rules. France tightened its border with Italy this week, while Germany said it would suspend voluntary acceptance of migrants from Italy, only to reverse course days later amid a surge in arrivals in Lampedusa.
European Commission President Ursula von den Leyen and Migration Commissioner Ylva Johnson joined Meloni in a visit to Lampedusa on Sunday.
Von den Leyen said she had provided the Italian government with extra manpower to help register and fingerprint new arrivals and supported moving migrants off the island. But she also urged other EU member states to accept more migrants currently arriving in Italy.
“Migration is a challenge that Europe faces and needs answers from Europe,” von den Leyen said. “We will decide who enters the EU and under what circumstances – not smugglers and traffickers”.
The growing influx poses a political problem for Meloni, who was elected on a promise to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into Italy. Instead, the number of people arriving on Italian shores so far this year has surged to more than 128,600, up from around 66,200 at the same time last year.
Meloni spoke alongside two EU officials in urging other EU capitals to help.
“These are certainly Italian borders, but they are also European borders,” Meloni said.
“Such large-scale migration flows inevitably require everyone’s participation. This will certainly affect border countries, but soon all other countries as well.”
This summer, the EU signed a controversial deal with Tunisia to provide the country with €100 million in equipment to strengthen border enforcement and prevent illegal departures at sea. But the funds have not yet been delivered.
Meloni’s coalition partner, deputy prime minister and coalition leader Matteo Salvini, attended a rally in Italy on Sunday with far-right French leader Marine Le Pen. Describing the influx of new immigrants as “an act.” war”.
“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but I don’t believe in fate,” Salvini told foreign reporters last week. “I think this is something that is absolutely wanted, organized, planned and funded to make things difficult for unconventional governments.”
Meloni sought to discourage would-be migrants from attempting the dangerous crossing, warning that Italy planned to take tougher measures against illegal immigrants and step up deportations of people whose asylum applications are rejected.
“If you enter Italy illegally, you will be detained and deported,” she said in a social media video posted on Friday. “Our circumstances do not allow us to act differently.”
Italy is now planning to build more centers in remote areas to house more asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected when they try to deport them. Italy has deported more than 3,000 illegal immigrants so far this year, compared with 2,663 in the same period last year. Last year, Italy deported about 4,000 illegal immigrants.
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