Pope meets Spanish migrant rescue group leader

● NGO says migrants brought to Spain because Italy and Malta refused

Pope Francis has met the founder of a Spanish aid group whose ship has been blocked from leaving port to resume rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean.

It is at least the second time that the Pope has met Oscar Camps, founder of Proactiva Open Arms.

The Vatican said yesterday that the pontiff also met the mayors of Madrid and Barcelona on Friday, both of whom represent far-left, pro-migrant parties.

Last month, Spanish authorities blocked the Open Arms’ ship from leaving Barcelona’s port, saying it violated maritime regulations on previous trips requiring rescued migrants to be brought to the nearest port.

Open Arms has said it only brought the migrants to Spain because both Italy and Malta refused.

Pope Francis has made the plight of refugees a priority of his pontificate.

Earlier this week, The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner said she is “deeply concerned” about Italy’s treatment of migrants at home and at sea and is seeking clarification from the government about a recent law and move to empty big migrant welcome centres.

Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic told Premier Giuseppe Conte in a letter released on Thursday that she regretted the “apparent hastiness” with which one centre was emptied. She also cited “disconcerting reports” that some migrants deserving of protections might be made homeless by a new law restricting their benefits.

Mijatovic also took aim at Italy’s refusal to let aid group rescue ships dock and its “relinquishing responsibility” of rescues to Libya. She wrote: “I urge you to ensure that the human rights of people rescued at sea are never put at risk.”

The European Union’s top migration official also urged European countries to stop “negotiating with human lives” and adopt temporary arrangements for migrants on boats.

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos met EU interior ministers in Bucharest, Romania, which holds the rotating EU presidency, and told them: “This is the moment to stop playing games and negotiating with human lives.”

Current EU rules oblige countries where migrants first land to process asylum claims, placing a heavy burden on countries such as Malta, Italy, Greece and Spain.