Piantedosi had already said during the day: “I think the message should be clear: those fleeing a war must not rely on unscrupulous smugglersstates must be responsible and supportive policies to offer the way out of their tragedy”. Piantedosi then recalled that he went “immediately to the scene of the tragedy to express his condolences for the victims and his closeness to the survivors in my name and those of all government”.
“No link between new rules and shipwreck”
Interviewed by Corriere della Sera, the minister then underlined that there is “no link between the new rules and the possible increase in deaths at sea. No event has occurred on the route manned by the NGOs that has not been adequately addressed by the Captaincy and financial police”.
Piantedosi then spoke about the government’s work, explaining “that in order to concretely deal with people’s desperation, and not just talk, so as to avoid similar shipwrecks, we have moved since our establishment by intensifying the humanitarian corridors with numbers (617 people) who had never registered in such a short period of time. In just two months we also approved the flows decree which will allow the regular entry of 83 thousand people”.
“No delays”
“There was no delay – the minister then said -. I chaired the meeting in Crotone and I know that all possible efforts were made in absolutely prohibitive sea conditions. For this I want to thank the staff who, putting at risk their lives, intervenes daily to save migrants in distress on small boats adrift and sailing in conditions of grave danger. It is extremely offensive even to hint that they have waived their obligations and their innate vocation”.
“Tragedy that challenges our consciences”
In a hearing before the Constitutional Affairs Commission, the minister then clarified that the shipwreck of Cutro is “a tragedy that grieves us deeply and challenges our consciences to act to stop such dangerous crossings and find concrete answers to the migration issue”. According to Piantedosi it is “clear that this can only be done with decisive action by the EU and strong synergy with transit countries. We must prevent those fleeing wars from relying on unscrupulous human traffickers, we need responsible policies and supportive of the EU”.
“The decree does not prevent relief efforts”
The interior minister then reiterated that the NGO decree “does not have the objective of preventing relief efforts in any way, but that they take place in an orderly and consistent manner with international standards and with which the states comply and only indirectly the private subjects”, but it is “unacceptable that geographically closest ports suffer the consequences of migratory pressure”. And also for this reason it is “my intention to define, in agreement with my colleagues concerned, interventions of a regulatory nature that address particularly critical issues, such as repatriations, the reception system, international protection and entry procedures rule of foreigners”.
Gentiloni: “The EU cannot always be asked to resolve”
“What happened on the coast of Crotone has a dimension that is unacceptable for us”, commented the EU commissioner for economic affairs, Paolo Gentiloni. “We can’t get away with just saying ‘Europe has to solve it’, not everything can be asked of the EU, which has a budget equal to one seventh or eighth of Italy’s. But for me it is cause for great optimism that it be asked , albeit in a controversial way. The EU must work on migration and the Commission has made a proposal, which I hope will go through”.