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.
Juncker also said that "the reform of the European asylum
system has taken too long", expressing the hope that "unity will
be demonstrated" over "the next six months" under the Estonian
duty presidency of the EU.
Juncker made the statement during a visit of the college of
commissioners to kick off the Estonian presidency of the Council
of the EU.
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.
Italy has found an ally in Germany but less of one in its
neighbour France.
German Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert said Friday
that the countries worst-hit by the asylum-seeker crisis "must
not be left alone" when asked about Italy's request for
assistance.
French President Emanuel Macros has said that France will
only help with bona fide refugees and not the economic migrants
that make up some 80% of the arrivals across the Mediterranean
from Libya.
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani on Friday called
for "solidarity" from France, saying Paris, too, "must do its
part".
Former European Commissioner Romano Prodi, the two-time
former Italian premier said "Italy is not enough when it comes
to 6,000 arrivals a day".
Prodi said that Marcon's position was "concerning".
If current trends continue, Italy is on track to receiving
more than the record 180,00 migrants who landed in the whole of
last year.
Italy's call for more help and its threat to stop foreign
NGOS from docking will be discussed at an informal EU interior
ministers' meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, on July 6-7.
Estonian Interior Minister Andres Anvelt said Friday that at
next week's meeting "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".
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