In the joint statement, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus reiterated their position that they “cannot accept the idea that countries of first entry are the only possible European landing places for illegal immigrants.”
They added that the number of migrants hosted by other EU member states “represents only a very small part of the real number of illegal arrivals” to the European continent.
The four countries also criticized the operations of special humanitarian ships, claiming that they operate “completely independent of the competent state authorities” to rescue hundreds of migrants rescued at sea.
The new Italian government led by the far-right has been embroiled in a confrontation in recent weeks with humanitarian organizations, arguing that countries with these ships sailing under their flag should welcome the migrants being picked up, a position disputed by humanitarian associations and legal experts. and human rights activists.
The European Commission said on Friday that the recent case of the humanitarian aid ship Ocean Viking, which Italy blocked and ended up in France, “once again” shows the need for an immigration and asylum policy. Just.
“The situation we are witnessing in the Mediterranean once again reveals the urgency of a single and coherent policy for migration and asylum,” emphasized the Executive Director of the community, when asked by Lusa on this issue.
Brussels, in the same reply to Lusa, recalled that it had made a proposal in this regard two years ago, and took the opportunity to “renew the appeal to Member States and the European Parliament to do the work for its adoption”.
Only the creation of an “appropriate and permanent framework for migration governance at the European Union (EU) level, in the form of a new Charter on Migration and Asylum” will be able to respond to situations such as that of the ship,” said Ocean Viking, the same source.
According to the French naval authorities, after a decision taken “exceptionally”, 234 migrants were disembarked three weeks ago in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya by the humanitarian aid ship “Ocean Viking” that disembarked in Toulon, southern France, with Paris. At their disposal. Criticism of Rome for not allowing the ship operated by the NGO SOS Méditerranée to dock in Italy.
In a joint gesture of solidarity with other member states, Portugal has guaranteed that it will receive “some migrants” from the humanitarian ship “Ocean Viking”, without specifying the numbers.
On September 23, 2020, the European Commission presented the new charter on migration and asylum in order to give new impetus to the reform of the Common European Asylum System.
Asylum policy is the way in which the European Union regulates the ability of member states to respond to migrants who arrive at the external borders of the European Union and seek asylum.
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