The European Council calls immigrants to Italy
According to a written statement from the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic wrote a letter to Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi on January 26, urging the Italian government to withdraw or revise the decree law issued in early January guests.
REPORTED AS
In his letter, Mijatovic stated that the decree’s provisions may hamper search and rescue operations by NGOs, which may contradict Italy’s obligations under human rights and international law.
Mijatovic also criticizes the implementation of NGO boats to evacuate migrants to Italian ports far from the rescue zone in the decree, warning that with this practice, people in danger may be deprived of vital assistance from NGOs.
THE GOVERNMENT ARGUED THAT MİJATOVIC’S CONCERNS WERE “UNREASONABLE”
According to the ANSA news agency, the Italian government, in its response to this letter, argued that the concerns expressed by Mijatovic were “unfounded.”
While it was stated that the decree did not prevent NGO ships from carrying out more than one rescue at sea, it was stated that its main objective was to prevent the systematic transport of those rescued off Tunisia and Libya, especially to Italy.
In the Italian government’s response to the Council of Europe, it was stated that immigrant arrivals were concentrated in the regions of Lampedusa and Sicily and Calabria in the south, and ports in central and northern Italy were assigned to NGO ships such as Safe ports to share the organizational and logistical load.
DISCUSSION DECISION ON NGO VESSELS
In Italy, the right-wing coalition government led by Giorgia Meloni had adopted a new decree at the beginning of the year, which provided for some regulations for NGOs that rescue irregular migrants in the Mediterranean.
The decree, published in the Official Gazette on January 2, came into force, after the seizure of NGO boats that rescued immigrants who did not have permission to leave international waters or who violated this permit, for 2 months in the first voyage, until the confiscation is concluded in the second voyage, from the hijacking of the NGO ships to the designated safe place after the rescue. It contains different rules until it arrives in port as soon as possible.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, announcing this decree, said: “It is enough to serve as a shuttle for human traffickers.” he had used the phrase.
NGOs and some opposition circles also argued that the decree was intended to impede NGOs.
In 2022, around 104,000 irregular migrants arrived in Italy by sea. (AA)