France has pushed back more than
40,00 migrants to Italy since last year so French President
Emmanuel Macron should stop lecturing Italy about stopping
migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday.
"More than 40,000 push backs at French borders with Italy
since last year, a far cry from solidarity and reception," he
said.
"Macron should have the good taste to keep quiet and not give
lectures to the Italians".
Salvini has been refusing landing permission in Italy to many
migrant rescue ships, drawing criticism from Macron.
Salvini also said he had been the one who had phoned the
Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) asking them to take migrants
from the Diciotti coast guard ship where he had been holding
them and demanding the EU take them.
"It was me who called the CEI, they didn't call themselves.
Ireland, Albania and the bishops were contacted by us," he said,
referring to the two countries who also took in some of the
Eritreans.
"Europe for the umpteenth time turned away and pretended
nothing was happening," he said.
He said the government had also contacted "other countries
we hope may be useful for other, eventual landings".
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