Conte promises tough line on migrants

(ANSA) - ROME, 03 AGO - Premier Giuseppe Conte on Monday promised that his government will adopt a tough stance after an upsurge in the arrival of asylum seekers from North Africa.
    The rise in the number of migrant-boat landings has put facilities under strain, especially given the need for arrivals to go into quarantine due to the coronavirus emergency.
    Several cases of large groups of migrants under quarantine running away from the facilities hosting them has caused widespread concern.
    "You cannot enter Italy in this way, especially in this acute phase (of the COVID-19 emergency,)" Conte said during a visit to Cerignola in Puglia.
    "We cannot allow the international community to be exposed to additional uncontrollable dangers.
    "There are migrants who try to flee from health surveillance.
    "We cannot allow it. We must be tough and inflexible.
    "We cannot tolerate people entering Italy in an illegal way.
    "We cannot allow the sacrifices the country made due to the COVID-19 crisis to be rendered in vain.
    "We must intensify repatriations".
    Around 200 asylum seekers landed on eight different boats on Lampedusa overnight, further complicating the already difficult situation on the southern Italian island.
    The asylum seekers were taken to the island's migrant hotspot, taking the number present at the facility up to 910. In theory the structure has a capacity of 95. (ANSA).