(ANSA) Brussels, July 7 - EU Internal Affairs Commissioner
Cecilia Malmstrom denied Monday that Brussels has abandoned
Italy to tackle illegal immigration alone but conceded that
other member states can do more to help.
"It is unfair to say Europe has abandoned Italy ...
certainly not the European Commission," she said, adding however
that "member states could do more" to help Rome cope with the
flow of tens of thousands of immgrants from north Africa to
Sicily each year.
Malmstrom called for "discussion" on the immigration drama
at the informal meeting of EU interior and justice ministers
being held in Milan Tuesday and Wednesday.
Italy, she recalled, received from the EU in the past some
500 million euros for immigration relief while from this year
until 2020 Italy "will be the largest recipient of funds" from
Brussels for immigration policies.
In addition to a commitment to reinforce the Frontex
European customs guard operation and efforts to support the
Italian Navy's Operation Nostrum "we are appealing to other
member states to share" the burden of hosting refugees and "we
are also involved with third countries" to cooperate in trying
to manage immigration, she said.
The EU ministers' meeting will help other countries to
"have a clearer idea" of Italy's needs and "what sort of
assistance Italy expects," she said.
"We know the enormous pressure Italy is subject to" and
are aware of the "formidable work that Italy does every night to
save lives," she said while presenting the report for 2013 of
the European office for supporting political asylum.
Malmstrom added that "we have had information from some
member states that Italy and other countries are not meeting
fully the obligations on finger prints" of immigrants who ask
for political asylum.
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