(by Francesco Matera) Luigi Di Maio asked the EU to resume the redistribution of refugees, suspended due to the pandemic, the secretary of the Democratic Party Nicola Zingaretti asks the government to address the issue urgently and adequately. In the meantime, the Libyan coast guard fired at three migrants, animating the protest of a part of the Democratic Party and Leu who had raised doubts about the financing of the Libyan sea force, provided for in the missions decree.
Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese is particularly active. She was first in Tunisia then spoke on the phone with the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson to renew the request for Italian support to the Commission, which was welcomed by Johansson and which could produce effects in the next few days. Speaking of effects, Lamorgese's meeting with Tunisian Prime Minister Kais Saied was productive, it is no coincidence that yesterday the news came that the authorities of the North African country blocked two boats leaving for the Italian coasts. Tunisia immediately requested radar, equipment, training for the coast guard and maintenance for the patrol vessels. Lamorgese has pledged several million euros to support Tunisian activities in the fight against immigration, 30 million from the Interior Ministry, the others from the Farnesina and the EU.
Foreign Affairs are also working to re-start charter flights for the repatriation of all those who do not qualify for recognition of the right to asylum. The Interior is interacting with the Defense to restore the situation at the Sicilian hot-spots to ordinary conditions after the "mini evasions" of hundreds of migrants. Instead, 40 soldiers will be sent to the city of Gorizia for the Balkan route. Security at the perimeter of the reception centers will therefore be guaranteed by about 400 soldiers already employed in the “safe roads” mission. Yesterday the deadline for the € 4,8 million call for the charter of a ship to allow quarantine of at least 500 migrants also expired. The ship should remain in front of the Lampedusan coasts until next October 31, after the refusal of the mayor of Porte Empedocle. Solution, that of the quarantine ship, not shared yesterday evening by the virologist prof. Massimo Galli who during the transmission Stasera Italia on Rete4 referred to the story of the cruise ship Diamond Princess kept isolated in a Japanese port (ed. From a few cases of infected people passed quickly and around 720 with about 10 deaths).
The reality is that the migratory phenomenon towards our country, already heavy in itself, has become no longer sustainable due to the pandemic emergency. An example above all what happened last Saturday, the cargo ship Cosmo docked at the port of Pozzallo with a number of migrants rescued in the open sea on board, 10 of them tested positive for CoVid-19.
On the political side, there is a request from a part of the Democratic Party to amend the security decrees wanted by the former Interior Minister Salvini. The political leader of the 5S Movement, Vito Crimi, however, has made it known through the agency that only the changes arising from the findings made by the Quirinale will have to be made. In these days, therefore, a summit between the Minister of the Interior and the members of M5s, Pd, Iv and Leu is expected at the Interior Ministry. The oppositions speak of a government of incompetents and evoke the naval blockade repeatedly requested, even during the yellow-green government, by the leader of the Brothers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni.