The Lower House on Thursday voted
to authorize Italy's participation in the EUNAVFOR Med naval
mission to combat migrant traffickers in the southern
Mediterranean.
The motion passed with 272 in favor, 100 against and 11
abstaining.
The anti-establishment, anti-euro 5-Star Movement (M5S),
the anti-immigrant, anti-euro Northern League, and the small
leftwing opposition Left Ecology Freedom (SEL) party voted
against the measure.
The decree allocates 26 million euros from June 27 to
September 30 this year to Italy's leadership of the three-phase
mission.
The first phase involves identifying and monitoring migrant
trafficking networks, while the second and third phase involve
stopping, seizing and destroying migrant traffickers' boats.
The two latter phases will require consent from Libya or
the UN Security Council.
EUNAVFOR Med works with Frontex, Europol and Eurojust EU
agencies.
EU foreign ministers in June approved the launch of the
first phase of EUNAVFOR.
The mission is part of the European Commission's Agenda on
Migration, a response to Italy's appeals for help in dealing
with the Mediterranean migrant crisis.
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