(see related)The European Union
must not pass the buck on the migrant emergency, which Italy has
so far coped with largely on its own, Interior Minister Angelino
Alfano said Tuesday.
"No passing of the buck to the detriment of Italy," Alfano
said.
The minister made his comments following an earlier
European Commission statement that EU border agency Frontex is
"a small agency, and needs more funds".
"The EU is stating the obvious," Alfano went on. "Money is
scarce, and member States must intervene".
The EU must take responsibility for beefing up Frontex so
it can replace Italy's Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) migrant
search-and-rescue operation before Italy pulls the switch on
that mission altogether, the minister said.
Italy set up the operation in October, following a migrant
ship disaster in which 366 people perished off the Sicilian
island of Lampedusa.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
