The premier's office said Monday
"today we can say that for the first time migrants are landing
in Europe" after France, Malta, Germany, Spain and Portugal
agreed to take 50 each of the 450 migrants who landed at
Pozzallo in Sicily.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who initially closed
Italian ports to the migrants, said Sunday "Italy is no longer
Europe's refugee camp, it's a political victory".
But the Visegrad Group - Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia
and Poland - refused to take in any of the migrants.
Czech Premier Andrej Babis said the "approach of (Premier
Giuseppe) Conte is the road to Hell".
House Speaker Roberto Fico said Monday "we can't put up walls
à la Trump but we must be tough on Europe".
The EU should recognise Libya as a safe port for migrants,
Salvini said Monday.
"We must change the norms and make Libyan ports safe," he
said.
"There is this underlying hypocrisy in Europe according to
which you give money to the Libyans, you supply motor launches
and you train the Coast Guard but then you deem Libya not a
safe port.
"It is a European bipolarism that must be overcome," he said,
indicating in Moscow what will be Italy's aim at Wednesday's
meeting to discuss changing the rules of the Sophia
migrant-rescuing mission.
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