Now Italy threatens to give EU visas to 200,000 migrants
‘A problem for our neighbours’
ITALY has threatened to issue 200,000 migrants with temporary EU visas as it struggles to cope with rising numbers reaching its shores.
Senior government officials are understood to be looking at a little-known Brussels directive to hand out residence permits allowing migrants access to full working rights, housing and benefits for up to two years.
It would also potentially allow them to travel throughout europe under the Schengen scheme.
The UK is not part of the agreement but the provocative move would infuriate France and Austria, with whom Italy shares borders, and has been called a ‘nuclear option’.
More than 86,000 have landed in Italy so far this year after being rescued in the Mediterranean as they attempt the perilous crossing.
Many are fleeing horrors in libya, although the UN refugee Agency this month said that seven in ten were economic migrants rather than refugees.
The number of migrants in detention centres across Italy has reached capacity at almost 200,000 – prompting protests this weekend.
Mario Giro, the deputy foreign minister, and luigi Manconi, a senator with the ruling democratic Party, told The Times that issuing migrants with temporary visas was under discussion.
Mr Giro and others from the democratic Party believe Italy can exploit european Council directive 2001/55, which states that member countries would have to make provision for any displaced people to receive ‘necessary assistance in terms of social welfare and means of subsistence’ and allow family members to join them. The temporary permits last for a year but can be extended by a further year. Those considered a security risk or who have committed serious crimes can be excluded. As the scheme currently benefits only EU citizens, police can turn back migrants from outside europe. But a temporary EU permit given by Italy would allow the migrants, most of whom want to travel to northern europe, to do so, it is understood.
Mr Manconi said: ‘letting migrants travel once they reach Italy would create a real problem for our EU neighbours. But I hope it would force France to confront the migrant problem head on.’ The directive has never been used and invoking it would require approval from EU members, many of whom would likely oppose it. But Italy could also use domestic law to hand out temporary visas, it has been claimed.
Officials are said to be discussing a second option last used when Silvio Berlusconi was prime minister, the Times reported. The so-called BossiFini law allowed it to hand temporary ‘ humanitarian’ visas to thousands of Tunisians who sailed to Italy during the Arab Spring in 2011.
Mr Giro said: ‘The EU wants Italy to keep migrants in hotspots for months and be a deposit for arrivals, which is unacceptable. ’
Italy has been forced by Brussels to open so- called hotspot centres intended to be the first port of call for newly- arrived migrants to house, care for and process those travelling to Italy.
President Macron of France has said that most of those who travel to Italy are economic migrants rather than refugees, and he will not allow them into France.
Mattia Toaldo, a senior analyst at the european Council on Foreign relations, told the Times: ‘If migrants continue to arrive and Italy decides to give them papers to cross borders and leave Italy it would be a nuclear option.’
The Italian government and foreign ministry did not comment yesterday. But UK Conservative MP Andrew rosindell said: ‘I am surprised the Italians would act in such an irresponsible way.’