European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen will journey to Lampedusa on Sunday, an official stated, as dozens of the Italian island’s residents protested over a latest surge in migrant arrivals.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni known as on Friday for the European Union to behave collectively “with a naval mission if obligatory” to forestall migrants from North Africa crossing the Mediterranean.
Practically 126,000 migrants have arrived in Italy up to now this 12 months, virtually twice the quantity by the identical date in 2022. Lampedusa has lately borne the brunt of the arrivals, with 1000’s of landings this week, greater than the island’s everlasting inhabitants.
“President Von der Leyen might be touring to Lampedusa tomorrow on the invitation of Italian PM Meloni,” EU Fee spokesman Eric Mamer stated in a submit on X, previously referred to as Twitter.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Meloni on Saturday and reiterated France’s help for Italy in dealing with the surge in migrant arrivals, the French presidency stated.
France’s inside minister, Gerald Darmanin, will go to Italy within the coming days to fulfill his counterpart, the Elysee added.
The French and Italian ministers additionally spoke Saturday by cellphone with their German counterpart and EU representatives, Darmanin stated in a submit on X.
Germany has determined to maintain taking in migrants and refugees arriving in Italy, Inside Minister Nancy Faeser stated on Friday, two days after it introduced the suspension of an settlement with Rome to obtain new arrivals.
Dozens of Lampedusa residents held protests on Saturday in opposition to a plan to construct new tent camps to host migrants.
“I’ve two youngsters at residence. Up to now years, I didn’t care about this challenge. However now I’ve an intuition of safety for my youngsters as a result of I do not know what’s going to occur to Lampedusa sooner or later,” one of many protesters stated.
“Lampedusa says cease! We do not need tent camps. This message is for Europe and for the Italian authorities. Lampedusa residents are drained,” one other protester stated.
A picture confirmed three ladies blocking a Pink Cross truck carrying meals for migrants.
Italian media reported that about 1,000 migrants had arrived in Lampedusa on Saturday.
The Italian Coast Guard discovered the physique of a new child child on a ship carrying about 40 migrants to Lampedusa, ANSA information company reported on Saturday, including the infant was born through the journey and died quickly after delivery.
Earlier this week, a 5-month-old child boy drowned off Lampedusa after a ship carrying migrants throughout the ocean from North Africa capsized.
