(ANSA) - Paris, June 12 - Industry and Labour Minister and Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio commented on French President Emmanuel Macron's criticism of Italy's new harder line on migration by saying "they can talk...". Macron said Italy had been cynical and irresponsible in not accepting migrant ship Aquarius. His En Marche movement called Italy's new migrant policy "sickening". France regularly pushes back migrants at its southern border with Italy and has recently dismantled migrant camps. Di Maio is head of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), the partner in government of the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party. League leader and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the other deputy premier, refused docking privileges to the Aquarius and said Malta should take it in, spurring a two stand-off that ended when Spain accepted the ship.
"The position of France and Macron on immigration is sickening, not that of minister Salvini," said the League.
Sull'immigrazione vomitevole è la posizione della Francia di Macron, non quella del ministro Salvini. Il portavoce di 'En Marche' pensi al suo Governo e si sciacqui la bocca prima di parlare dell'Italia e di Salvini".
Spanish Justice Minister Dolores Delgado told Spain's Cadena Ser radio on Tuesday that Italy risks penal responsibilities for the migrants on board NGO rescue ship Aquarius. "It's not a question of being a bleeding-heart liberal or of generosity, but of humanitarian law," she said.
"There may be international penal responsibilities because of the violation of treaties on human rights".
Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant League party, refused to take the Aquarius' 629 migrants saying Malta should take them, spurring a stand-off that ended when Spain said they could land in Valencia.
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