The interior ministry has
clarified that migrants will not be forcibly transferred from
the southern town of Riace following the arrest of Mayor
Domenico Lucano on charges of aiding illegal immigration.
Lucano's administration has been frequently lauded by
commentators for the way migrants were integrated into the local
community and helped revive the small town in Calabria, whose
population was dwindling.
On Sunday the ministry said migrants who wished to stay in
Riace will be free to do so, although the project to provide
asylum seekers with accomodation and other forms of help is set
to scrapped over alleged "serious anomalies".
At the weekend, there were reports the migrants would be made
to leave town.
The government has been accused of dismantling the Riace
model of integration by several critics.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA