Italy: The European Union (EU) has proposed a plan to support Italy in managing the influx of migrants and refugees, following a significant increase in arrivals on the island of Lampedusa in the past week.
The sudden rise in asylum seekers reaching the Italian island has sparked a heated discussion in Europe about how to divide the responsibility for the tens of thousands arriving on the continent annually.
“Irregular migration is a European challenge, and it needs a European answer,” European Commission President Ms. Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Lampedusa, offering a 10-point “action plan” to help Rome deal with the crisis.
The President emphasised that as the EU improves its handling of legal migration, it can also be firmer in dealing with irregular migration.
“We will decide who comes to the European Union and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers,” Ms. von der Leyen said at a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Ms. Georgia Meloni.
The head of the EU mentioned having talked to many EU leaders regarding the plan and expressed confidence in their backing.
“The most effective measure to counter the smugglers’ lies are legal pathways and humanitarian corridors,” Ms. von der Leyen said.
Italian far-right leader Ms. Meloni urged the president of the European Commission to personally witness the migration crisis following a state of emergency declaration by the local council of the small island.
Over the past few days, several thousand individuals have reached the island located between Sicily and North Africa, resulting in overcrowding at the reception camp.
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