The situation in Lampedusa is “unsustainable”, says Italy

The island breaks the record for migrant arrivals across the Mediterranean

The Italian government said on Sunday (27) that the island of Lampedusa is experiencing an “unsustainable” situation due to the mass arrival of forced migrants across the Mediterranean Sea.

Located just 100 kilometers as the crow flies from Tunisia, Lampedusa is the main gateway for international displaced persons to the European Union. However, its reception centre, with a capacity of 350, currently houses more than 4,200 people.

“Here the situation is unsustainable”, said the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, during a visit to the island. “Europe must lend a hand to the Italians to better manage this phenomenon”, he underlined.

Since last Friday (25), Lampedusa has recorded 120 arrivals, for a total of almost 4,100 migrants. As a result, the number of people in the local reception center reached a record 4,267.

To relieve the pressure on the island, the Viminale this Sunday ordered the transfer of 690 displaced persons to Porto Empedocle (550), in Sicily, Pratica di Mare (70), near Rome, and Pisa (70), in Tuscany.

Faced with this scenario, the mayor of Lampedusa, Filippo Manino, said that the migratory phenomenon “has gotten out of government control”. “Our patience is running out. I ask Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to come and spend two days with me in Lampedusa. Let’s sit down in my office and we will find a solution,” he said.

According to the Interior Ministry, in 2023 Italy has already received 107,500 forced migrants across the Mediterranean, an increase of 103% compared to the same period last year.

Source: Terra

Rose

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