Italy’s cabinet on Tuesday declared an immigration emergency after a “sharp increase” in the number of migrants arriving across the Mediterranean.
As reported by Ukrinform, this was reported by Reuters.
The state of emergency will be supported by an initial funding of 5 million euros ($5.45 million) and will last for six months, Italy’s Ministry of Maritime and Civil Protection said.
The Minister of Civil Protection, Nello Musumeci, emphasized that the solution to the problem of illegal migrants can only depend on the responsible intervention of the EU.
However, the state of emergency will allow Prime Minister Giorgia Maloney’s government to more quickly repatriate those who do not have permission to remain in Italy, thereby strengthening identification and deportation orders.
Italy’s government has vowed to curb mass migration, but around 31,300 migrants have arrived in the country this year, compared with about 7,900 in the same period last year, according to the foreign ministry.
It will be recalled that the Italian government said on Monday that the Russian “Wagnera” anti-aircraft missile defense system is behind the surge in the wave of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from African countries, as part of Moscow’s strategy to take revenge on countries that support Ukraine.
