It is a clash between France and Italy over Rome’s failure to “respect the commitments made in the EU” regarding migrants
Gérald Darmaninthe French Minister of the Interiorannounced at the end of the Council of Ministers that the port of Toulon will welcome, Friday, the humanitarian ship Ocean Viking ei 234 migrants rescued during the crossing of the Mediterranean, exceptionally: “At the request of the President of the Republic, it is by way of exception that we welcome this ship, taking into account the 15 days of waiting at sea that the Italian authorities made passengers suffer“With these words Darmanin explained to the council of ministers why the Ocean Viking ship will be able to land tomorrow in the port of Toulon, in the French region of Var.
A third of passengers will be “relocated” to France and a third to Germany, while migrants “not covered by the right of residence and asylum will be subject to removal measures without delay”he added.
Franceadded Darmanin, “will draw its consequences” of the Italian refusal to let the ship dock, will take action against the Italian government and he wants the European Union to do the same.
“The Italian government is the loser,” the minister added at a press conference, warning that “there will be extremely strong consequences in bilateral relations“and in Italy’s relations with the EU.
Immediately France will strengthen border controls with Italy and it will not welcome migrants who disembark in Italy rescued by humanitarian ships, contrary to what it had accepted in the redistribution agreement that was reached with the EU.
In retaliation against Italy, France did indeed the transfer and reception planned for 3,500 refugees currently in Italy has been suspended.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin also denounced the lack of “humanity” in Italywhile among the 234 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean there are 57 children and about 20 sick people.
Last Thursday, the General Secretariat for the Sea announced the medical evacuation of three migrants who were on the boat. According to SOS Méditerranée, which charters the ship, the Ocean Viking would have asked theevacuation of the three passengersthat “they are in serious health conditions and need hospital care“.
“One of the patients is unstable and has not responded to on-board care since October 27. The other two were injured in Libya which, due to the long period of treatment, now risk having negative long-term consequences, “said a spokesperson for SOS Méditerranée.
The NGO sent its request to the French authorities through the Regional Surveillance and Rescue Operational Centers (Cross), and this one request has been “taken into consideration”. The evacuation “will be carried out under the operational direction of the Admiral Prefect of the Mediterranean Sea”, confirmed the General Secretariat for the Sea. The ship is now located off the coast of Aleria, Corsica.
Rescue operations began at the end of the morning: an Air Force helicopter with a medical team on board took off around 11.00 from the Solenzara base in Corsica to collect patients who “should be evacuated to the Bastia hospital”, explains Captain Pierre-Louis Josselin, spokesman of the maritime prefecture.
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