ITALY: Government calls for EU help in dealing with migrant crisis

Record ID: 348374

  • Title: ITALY: Government calls for EU help in dealing with migrant crisis
  • Date: 16th February 2011
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 15, 2011) (REUTERS) NEWSPAPER FRONT PAGES NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING "IMMIGRANTS: ALARM OF MARONI "EIGHTY THOUSAND ARRIVING, UPON DISEMBARKING A CLASH BETWEEN EUROPEAN UNION AND ITALY" NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING "IMMIGRANTS, DISCUSSION BETWEEN ROME AND BRUSSELS. MARONI: WE ARE FACING EIGHTY THOUSAND ARRIVALS" NEWSPAPER HEADLINE READING "THE SHIP
  • Embargoed: 3rd March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA8M31TFTOXKTH8FJHXN7GCCN5F
  • Story Text: Italy has warned of the possibility of unforeseeable consequences if the country is not given help to address the arrival of thousands of migrants from Tunisia.
    More than 4,000 migrants have crossed the sea from Tunisia to the small Italian island of Lampedusa in the past week, underscoring the lingering instability in Tunisia since protests ousted its president a month ago.
    Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said Rome would seek 100 million euros from the European Commission to help with the costs of the crisis and that Italy would send 200 more soldiers to Sicily.
    Some analysts believe revolts in Tunisia and Egypt could spread to other countries in the region, creating a potential nightmare scenario for European governments which have relied on autocratic leaders in north Africa to help curb migration.
    In Lampedusa, local officials say migrants are overwhelming the island, which lies closer to Africa than mainland Italy. About 1,400 people landed from Tunisia on Sunday (February 13) alone.
    "It is very important to start emptying out Lampedusa, because this amount of people puts pressure on the island. We've requested that there is a greater logistical effort to move these people to different holding centres in Italy," Spokesperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Laura Boldrini, said.
    The flow of illegal migrants sparked a diplomatic row, with Tunisia accusing Rome of infringing on its sovereignty after an Italian minister suggested sending police to Tunisia to stem the flow of people arriving on Lampedusa.
    Residents in Rome said other countries should participate in the costs of the crisis.
    "We should be getting help because it shouldn't be a problem that only Italy addresses. Italy is the closest and most comfortable destination for them so they come here. But as the numbers are so great, other countries should lend us a hand in dealing with the problem," said Carlo Conti.
    "It's a problem for everyone to address, if not, what is the point of the existence of Europe? (European Union)," another resident Alessandro said.
    "They should begin to consider the fact that these problems of masses of migrants, these problems of biblical proportions, are problems of the whole world. We are paying for this and they need to find a way to address this," he added.
    Tunisian protesters unseated authoritarian ruler Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on Jan. 14, in an uprising that served as an inspiration for the revolt in Egypt which on Friday (February 11) forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign.
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