European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reiterated Friday that Italy and Greece needed extra help from the EU to cope with the Mediterranean asylum-seeker crisis. "Next week I'll meet the premiers of Italy and Greece (to talk about) what supplementary efforts the European Commission can make to alleviate the efforts of these two countries in their heroic battle," he said. Italy took a formal step to protest the emergency with Brussels Wednesday and said that foreign ships may be stopped from docking in Italian ports unless the situation improves, with thousands of people arriving every day. Rome said the situation, with its impact on social and political life, was "unsustainable" and "at the limit".
Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Thursday demanded the EU deliver "a concrete contribution" at a press conference at the end of a preparatory meeting in Berlin ahead of the G20.
Estonian Interior Minister Andres Anvelt, however, said Friday that at next week's informal EU interior ministers meeting in Tallinn "we will not give any answer (to Italy's migrant demands), but we will listen to what Italy says have been the changes in the last week" to see "how to address the question of protecting borders, ports and relations with Libya".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
