Boom of landings, Italian proposal to the EU – Il Sole 24 Ore

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This article was published April 16, 2016 at 8:05.

growing emergency landings in Italy and strengthens the pressure of Rome for a European strategy on migration. Two joint moves with which the Government raises a delicate game: one to Brussels by sending a “migration compact”. The other to Austria. “If Vienna violates the rules we will hear,” warns the Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced referring to the construction of a barrier to the Brenner. “To the ‘Austrian friends – explained Renzi – I say that Brenner is not only the tunnel to connect our countries, the Brenner Pass is a place of work for many companies, and is a symbol.” In short: “friendship is a great value and respect of the rules is the basis.” Then he observes: “we are the only country in the world that is doing three tunnels, to connect with Europe: Gotthard, Brenner we have unlocked us and connects us to Austria, the Turin-Lyon. We are investing $ 28 billion to connect with Europe. ” But the basic message is one: the closure of borders remarked Renzi “jeopardizes the EU’s estate.” For the prime minister, “we are not in the presence of an invasion.” What Europe has said “ask you to be the bearer of an overall strategy with aid and interventions in Africa.”

Theme also raised by the Head of State. Sergio Mattarella returned yesterday to criticize the anti-migrant political walls. “The answers that some countries, including the European Union, seeking to give on an individual basis – he said – are often inadequate and shortsighted.” In his welcome address at the Quirinale to participants in the plenary meeting of the Trilateral Commission, Mattarella urged to find “durable solutions” to the migration phenomenon “only through a dispassionate examination of the underlying causes of the phenomenon and its progressive development and must find a solid anchor in the values ​​and principles that permeate our democracies. ”

question at the center of the four-page dossier sent to the Chairmen of the Commission and the EU Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Donald Tusk, the proposal (migration compact) articulated Italy to develop an EU response capable to limit and manage the flows of migrants and the humanitarian emergency. Yesterday the IOM had announced that only in the last three days the arrivals were nearly 6 thousand. More than 4,100 migrants rescued in the Sicily Channel in 48 hours. Since January 1, 2016, to date, it has said the Interior Ministry 24,094 migrants have landed in Italy (+ 25% compared to the same period of 2014 and 2104). In short, the risk of a surge in arrivals, aided by the favorable weather is concrete. For the prime minister, “the management of migrant flows is not sustainable without a targeted and enhanced cooperation with third countries.” Italy speaks of a grand bargain with the African partners. The document provides

for a scheme of arrangement with the countries of origin and transit, and it also requires a strong financial commitment from the EU. Commitment that could be done through a redistribution of resources already allocated from the EU budget but also with Eurobonds. The central idea, writes Matteo Renzi in the letter accompanying the document, is to develop “a model offer to partner countries in which the measures proposed by the EU (financial support and operational) match specific commitments in terms of effective border control, reducing the flow of migrants cooperation on returns. ” To this it adds, “is necessary to provide new and innovative sources of financing also useful to cover the future costs of the agreement with Turkey.” Roma offers both European bonds to finance the management of arrivals of migrants in the Twenty-eight, and to achieve the Community’s objectives in this field. The idea is already the subject of reflection within the Commission. The possibilities are many. Titrated to issue bonds are the Commission itself, the European Investment Bank and the European Stability Mechanism. The Italian initiative was welcomed by the President of the European Council Tusk, who in a statement yesterday evening said he was ready to work on “an ambitious plan” that provides for the cooperation of the G-7, G-20 and countries third. The report will be the subject of an initial exchange of opinions of the Foreign Ministers who will meet in Luxembourg on Monday. On the agenda of the two themes that ministers directly relevant to Italy: the refugee crisis and the situation in Libya. April 21 will be the turn of the Ministers of the Interior that you always meet in Luxembourg, what will be the first real test for the “migration compact.” Also yesterday from Lampedusa the High Representative for European Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced that it intends to strengthen proposing to extend it to the Libyan territorial waters, the European operation Eunavfor Med against human trafficking in international waters.

Meanwhile, in the evening came the letter sent by the Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner to the European Commissioner for Immigration. “We fear terrorist infiltration” defend themselves from Vienna justifying preventive measures to the Italian border. “The closure of the Brenner would be a huge loss,” write the Confindustria associations northeast expressing strong concern on the matter.

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