(ANSA) - Rome, July 16 - 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.
Ireland also came forward Monday and said it would take
another 20 of the migrants.
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.
The European Commission reiterated Monday it did not consider
Libya a safe port.
Salvini replied by asking "does the European Union want to
continue facilitating the dirty work of migrant smugglers? It
won't do so in my name".
Responding to the no from Brussels to deeming Libya a safe
port, Salvini said "either they change or we will be forced to
move on our own".
The EC also said it shared the sense of urgency voiced in a
letter on migrants from Premier Giuseppe Conte to European
Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker.
"We confirm we have received premier Conte's letter to
presidents Tusk and Juncker," said spokesperson Margaritis
Schinas.
"In the letter he asks for the immediate implementation of
the conclusions reached at the European Council and we will
shortly respond.
"In general and without going into the details, the
Commission full shares the sense of urgency and it is working to
give a swift follow-up to the conclusions reached by the Council
as far as we are concerned".
Schinas went on to say that "the Commission welcomes the fact
that both ships the Protector and Monte Sperone have landed at
Pozzallo and that was possible thanks to six EU member States
who decided to share migrants, including Italia, France,
Germany, Malta, Spain and Portugal".
Schinas said "Italy has for some time been asking for
regional cooperation on (migrant) landings and it is right to
request this.
"The Commission believes that ad hoc solutions are not
sustainable in the long term and asks for a new push based on
the European Council".
Some 128 unaccompanied minors landed at the Sicilian port of
Pozzallo Sunday night as well as three accompanied minors, 44
women and 272 men, sources said Monday.
The total was 447 persons, of whom 291 from Eritrea and 92
from Somalia.
Other migrants came from Nigeria, Bangladesh, Algeria, Libya,
Syria and Egypt.
Many of he migrants were said to be malnourished and
suffering from scabies.
The local migrant-registration hotspot was full to
overflowing.
For first time 'migrants land in Europe' says Italy
'No longer Europe's refugee camp' says Salvini