Up to 1 mn migrants could leave Libya this year

(ANSA) - Rome, March 6 - Between 500,000 and a million migrants could set off for Europe via Italy from Libya this year, the executive director of the EU's Frontex border agency told ANSA Friday. "We have to be ready to address a more difficult situation than last year," said Fabrice Leggeri.
    "According to the sources," he said, "we have been told there are from 500,000 to a million migrants ready to leave from Libya". The EU has vowed to boost Frontex's Triton operation to try to cope with greater migrant flows and avert disasters.

 Frontex "can't cope" on its own with the migrant emergency, Leggeri told ANSA. He asked for "more resources" from the EU as well as a "contribution" from more member states.
 Leggeri also admitted that migrant operations near the Libya coast were risky after cases of human traffickers threatening Italian coast guard vessels. "The Italian authorities have taken steps to reinforce security and mitigate the risk," Leggeri told ANSA. "I can't go into specifics because its sensitive information. "We had an exchange of opinions on this with the EU member States. But that doesn't mean where won't be incidents tomorrow.
There is a risk near to the Libyan coast". Frontex coordinates the EU's Triton operation in the southern Mediterranean, which replaced Italy's better-funded Mare Nostrum migrant-search-and-rescue programme last year.

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said there's no need for "scaremongering" on the migrant issue.