Italy: New Government, New Migration Policy

(Patria) – The new Italian left-leaning government has issued permission for the disembarkation of 82 migrants near Lampedusa in Sicily.

This move by the new government is a clear signal of a change in Italian policy towards migrants compared to the anti-immigration measures imposed by the previous government of right-winger Matteo Salvini.  

This is the first time this year that the government in Rome has approved the disembarkation of migrants; all previous attempts ended in bans and the return of migrants.

The new coalition government, consisting of the 5 Star Movement (M5S) and the center-left Democratic Party (PD), allowed the Norwegian NGO ship Ocean Viking to dock in Lampedusa, Sicily on Saturday. In accordance with the agreement with the EU, the migrants will be distributed among several member states.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has promised to revise the previous government's anti-immigration policies concerning the closure of ports to ships with migrants, the seizure of NGO ships, as well as penalties for ships transporting migrants to Italy without permission, writes Euronews.  

Germany and France have expressed their readiness to take in 25% of the total number of migrants from the Ocean Viking ship each. Other EU member states, including Italy, will take in the remainder.

After a meeting with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stated that EU countries that refuse to share the burden of migrants should face financial penalties.

Matteo Salvini reacted to the development via Twitter:

- The new government has reopened the ports to migrants. The new ministers must hate our country. Italy is once again the European refugee center, claims Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party.