Italian right wants to drop rescues after 30 migrant deaths

(see related) (ANSA) - Milan, June 30 - Italy's right-wing parties upped pressure to either reform or abandon the government's migrant search-and-rescue program on Monday after 30 people were found dead aboard the latest migrant ship landing off Sicily. "Stop crossings, help them at home now!" said Matteo Salvini, the head of the anti-immigrant Northern League on Facebook. "The shirts of (Premier Matteo) Renzi and (Interior Minister Angelino) Alfano are stained with blood". Nearly 600 passengers were aboard the boat intercepted by the navy, officials said, adding the dead victims on board likely asphyxiated.
    Figures released Monday showed Italy has rescued some 65,000 migrants off its coasts since the start of the year - more than the total of 2011 when a record 63,000 were retrieved from the sea. The government has boosted its operations under an initiative called Mare Nostrum, launched after roughly 400 migrants died in shipwrecks last October off the coast of Lampedusa, a tiny island off the coast of Sicily. It has come under increasing fire from the Northern League and the center-right Forza Italia party of Silvio Berlusconi for its cost and for allegedly facilitating human trafficking. "With Mare Nostrum we've incentivized, with grave consequences, an influx of illegal migrants that seems unstoppable. Our country must put an end to the operation and force the EU to confront this problem which is a European one rather than an Italian one," said FI Senator Vincenzo Gibiino from Sicily. Italy has been imploring the EU for more help, but reciprocity on asylum seekers and migrants was scratched from EU summit conclusions last week under strong pressure from northern European members.
    EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Monday that the EU is looking for ways "to contribute more" financially to migrant rescues off Italy, but only "with respect to existing resources," thus ruling out new funds. German President Joachim Gauck urged greater help for Italy earlier. Shortly after, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany already assumes its responsibilities with regard to refugees.
    The staff of Jean-Claude Juncker, president designate of the EU Commission, is considering the creation of a new ad hoc commissioner for immigration and mobility, sources said Monday, stressing that the question of a new commissioner would not be discussed until after the next European Council on July 16. "I hear a lot of talk but the Commission isn't doing a thing. It's dumping the problem on Italy," said Lombardy Governor Roberto Maroni of the Northern League. "Real measures must be put in place, something loud, otherwise we run the risk of only talking about it". Meanwhile members of Italy's left also upped pressure on the EU to help it on the front lines of the growing immigration problem, as migration centers across the country are stretched beyond capacity. "We're truly at the limit," said Milan Mayor Giuliano Pisapia, adding that Milan accepts on average 1,000 refugees per day. "This is Europe's real responsibility. It's leaving Italy all by itself".