EU neighbours at odds over migration crisis France/Italy
Italy has escalated its quarrel with France over migration, challenging its neighbour to take in more asylum seekers, and demanding an apology after the French president accused the new Italian government of irresponsible behaviour for refusing entry to a rescue ship with hundreds of migrants aboard.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini yesterday chided French President Emmanuel Macron by name during a speech before parliament’s upper chamber, while Italian news reports said a meeting between Macron and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte planned for today was now in doubt.
‘‘I speak in the name of a government but I also have the aim of speaking for a people who have nothing to learn from anyone about generosity, volunteerism, welcome and solidarity,’’ Salvini, the leader of the anti-migrant League party, said to applause in the senate chamber.
In other signs of the continuing clash, Italy summoned the French ambassador for consul- tations, cancelled a planned meeting between finance ministers and warned that diplomatic relations between the two European Union members had been compromised.
Italy has received both criticism and praise for turning away the rescue ship Aquarius over the weekend as it made its way across the Mediterranean Sea carrying 629 migrants. Rome says the migrants were never in danger and argues that other European countries must share the work of welcoming would-be asylum seekers.
Two Italian naval vessels are escorting the ship to Spain after the socialist government of new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered the Aquarius safe harbour.
The Aquarius and two Italian ships that took on some of the 629 passengers are expected to arrive in Valencia on Sunday, a week after the Aquarius first sought permission to dock in Italy.
Lashing out at the French government, Salvini said France had taken in only a fraction of the 9816 migrants it had pledged to accept under a 2015 EU relocation plan intended to relieve pressure on Italy and Greece. ‘‘So I ask President Macron to pass from words to action.’’
The line Italy drew with the Aquarius appeared to be a tactic by the populist government sworn in this month to force Europe’s hand at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels set for June 28-29.
Salvini also accused France of having turned back 10,249 migrants at Italy’s northern border since January, ‘‘including women, children and disabled people’’.
The border crossing point at Ventimiglia has been the scene of protests and desperation for years as France refused to let in migrants, many of them seeking to reach family in France or Germany.
Austria’s conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who since December has led a coalition government with the anti-migration Freedom Party, proposed the idea yesterday of an ‘‘axis of the willing’’ – made up of Rome, Vienna and Berlin – to co-operate in tackling illegal immigration.
Salvini has accused European aid groups of essentially operating taxi services for Libya-based human traffickers and says Italy will now refuse their rescue ships entry.
Italy’s argument with France came after Macron blasted what he called Italy’s cynicism and irresponsibility in turning away the Aquarius. – AP
‘‘[Italy has] nothing to learn from anyone about generosity, volunteerism, welcome and solidarity.’’
Matteo Salvini, Italian interior minister