“Human meat”:

Rome

Italy’s far-right interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has declared that his country’s navy and coastguard should stop responding to distress calls from refugee boats; proposed the creation of asylum processing centres along Libya’s southern border; and described the 234 people aboard the MV Lifeline, the latest rescue ship to be stranded in the Mediterranean, as “human meat”. After a stand-off similar to the recent case involving the MV Aquarius – which rerouted to Spain after Salvini ordered that Italy’s ports turn it away – Malta allowed the ship to dock, while Italy and at least three other EU states agreed to accept some of the rescued migrants.

The migrant crisis was due to be discussed at the June summit of all 28 EU leaders scheduled for 28 and 29 June. Chancellor Merkel in particular is under intense pressure to find a pan-european solution. Her interior minister, Horst Seehofer of the CSU Party – whom she cannot afford to sack, because his support is vital to her ruling coalition’s survival – has said he will start turning away at the border refugees who have registered in another EU state if the chancellor doesn’t resolve the issue by 1 July. Seehofer’s move would mean a hard border with Austria, which could prove fatal to the passport-free Schengen area. Italy and Greece are also pressing for an end to the rule that requires refugees to apply for asylum in the first EU country they reach.