Italian PM Giorgia Meloni is considering banning all humanitarian rescue ships from Italy’s waters as she demands Germany and Norway accept refugees instead.
Three NGO ships, flying European flags, have rescued around 1,000 migrants in Mediterranean – but Ms Meloni have branded these “pirate ships” and demanded they be sent elsewhere.
Germany had called on Italy to accept the refugees after they were left on the charity-run boats for more than a week.
The ships are operated by charities Doctors Without Borders (MSF), SOS Mediterranee and SOS Humanity.
But Ms Meloni said the charity organisations breach international law, accusing them of acting as a “shuttle” between North Africa and Europe.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the anti-immigration League party, echoes Ms Meloni’s sentiment, repeating the idea that NGO vessels in the Mediterranean should take migrants to the countries corresponding to their flags.
Italy’s interior minister Matteo Piantedosi added that the country cannot take in migrants rescued by “foreign boats”.
Migrant arrivals by sea to Italy are rising this year, to 85,991 so far, compared with 53,825 in the same period last year.
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Source: Meloni brands rescue ships ‘pirates’ as she demands Germany take in 1,000 migrants
