Meloni says Italy no longer wants to welcome migrants rescued by foreign NGOs

NGOs rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean will have to disembark them in flagged countries, especially German ones, if a better settlement is not reached on the status of these NGOs under the Asylum and Migration Charter, announced on Friday in Malta. . Georgia Meloni.

The Italian Prime Minister rejects the amendment presented by Germany regarding the status and role of non-governmental organizations at the time of the vote on Thursday in Brussels on reforming the Asylum and Migration Charter. The text was approved by the 27 countries but Italy, which said it was surprised by the delay in submitting the German proposals, expressed its reservations and requested a period of reflection.

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“Step back”

This amendment”Step back” And “We therefore propose another amendment whereby the State responsible for receiving migrants transported on board an NGO ship would be the State flying the flag of that ship.Giorgia Meloni explained to the press on the sidelines of the EU Mediterranean summit in Malta. “We cannot play solidarity with the boundaries of others“, she added. According to information reported by Italian media, the Italian amendment was rejected by the interior ministers who met behind closed doors in Brussels on Thursday.

Rome accuses Berlin of funding several non-governmental relief organizations in the Mediterranean, some of which operate under the German flag. Giorgia Meloni wrote to Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week to express “amazement» With regard to these subsidies. According to a census conducted by Agence France-Presse on Friday on maritime traffic monitoring sites, a ship belonging to the German non-governmental organization Sea-Watch is anchored in the port of the island of Lampedusa, while five other Libyans and Tunisians are carrying out rescue missions off the coast. Coasts. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday defended the role of non-governmental organizations that help migrants trying to enter Europe via Italy. “Saving people from drowning at sea is a legal and European obligationAnd I stressed.

Executive Director Georgia Meloni, who came to power a year ago defending an anti-migrant programme, believes the presence of humanitarian ships at sea contributes to the influx. NGOs say they rescue less than 10% of people who make the dangerous crossing, with the vast majority arriving either on their own or via the Italian coast guard or navy.