Faced with migratory pressure, Italy declared a state of emergency
On April 12, a fishing boat that rescued some 700 migrants landed in the port of Catania, Sicily. Salvatore Cavalli / AP
TERMINATION While the number of irregular arrivals on its shores has quadrupled since January, Meloni’s government is strengthening its arsenal against exiles and smugglers.
Rome
Every day, Italy sees dozens of boats, hundreds, and sometimes thousands of exiles arriving on its coasts in Sicily and Calabria. Some achieve this firsthand, while others are rescued after a shipwreck by NGO boats or, less often, by the Italian Coast Guard. For if Giorgia Meloni promised in the campaign to establish a naval blockade to protect the borders of Italy, in fact the priority of saving lives remains.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 33,000 exiles have arrived on Italian shores, four times more than in the same period last year. During the first four months of 2023, irregular entry into Europe increased by 26%. “Of the ten people who arrived in Europe illegally, eight arrived through Italy, which, unlike neighboring countries, continues to welcome them and allows them to apply for asylum.explains Chiara Cardoletti, representative of Italy …
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