(See also the Categoria Migrazioni in this same site)
Immigration and Human civilisation. The Earth belongs the Humanity. EU members who violate the Law of the Sea, the right to asylum and international laws should be suspended sine die from EU structural and NGEU funds in virtue of Art. 7 of the EU Treaty. (1)
This should equally apply to the violations of domicile and the violation of Art 7 of EU Convention on Human Rights, namely « no punishment without law ». (2)
No EU member State should play dirty politics furthering racism and extremist right-wing ideology with immigration, asylum rights and Human basic rights. When they do, like Italy in recent decades, they should suffer the consequences. The Laws should apply especially against uncouth bullies.
The Ocean Viking’s drama as it was managed by Italy is typical dirty un-European politics. Only 234 migrants were on board. From Jan-Sept 2022, asylum seekers were : 154 385 in Germany; 110 055 in France; 48 935 in Italy. Italy is just playing dirty politics with a European and World regressive agenda. It is not acceptable. It is not part of post WWII EU constitutional civilisation (3)
NGOs are not the problem, they are saving lives. Under Meloni’s government 9000 migrants were saved in the Mediterranean Sea. Only 800 were saved by the 4 ONGs’ boats. The Mediterranean Sea is not the sole or even the main entry point in the EU. No dirty demagogy will change this hard fact. (4) The Law of the Sea requires immediate rescue and transport to the closest port. Period. Like diplomatic immunity, it is part of civilisation progress that cannot be questioned in any shape or form.
The June 2022 EU Agreement on the reallocation of new migrants entering the EU from Italy concerned 10 000 migrants. Reallocation can only occur after Italy has duly discharged her reception duty in full accordance with international laws. Is it worse while and legitimate playing politics on prime time TV with the presumed failed reallocation when your country receives less new migrants and has a very lower level of landed immigrants on its soil? What is the real objective of this demagogic stance, given the right-wing unconstitutional position on the subject?
Governments trafficking in Human Beings are now cited before the International Penal Court. This should equally apply to government’s members who insult and sequestrate migrants and who refuse them prompt rescue as well as to complicit judiciary and governmental personnel.
Right-wing uncouth and demagogic bullies have destroyed the internationally renowned Riace’s model of migrants’ reception amid newspaper talks of links with n’drangheta’s figures. The involvement of various mafias in the otherwise lucrative migrants’ reception business has been well established by anti-mafia Judge Gratteri.
Riace’s model of migrants’ reception was coterminous with Calabria’s (Magna Grecia ) antique hospitality tradition and allowed for the rebirth of a dying City and for the creation of 88 or so direct new jobs in the process. It produced socio-economic and cultural development instead of the too often usual cruel and inhuman mistreatment of migrants which is a true national shame.
From 2014-2020, incompetent transversal Italian governments did send back more than 38 billion Euros of unused EU structural funds. This was not an exception, it happened many times before. Draghi’s government failed to use close to 12 billion Euros in NGEU Funds because it failed to deal with the conditions attached. The NGEU funds have to be reimbursed to the EU, but this is not the case for the important funds allocated to migrants’ reception. Nonetheless, they dare talk about migrants! Draghi, who proved totally incompetent in matters of respect of the Fundamental Human Rights of Italian citizens as enshrined in the Constitution, was also responsible for the explosion of the Italian debt and of Target II debt when he was leading the ECB. Just ask him what « inflation » is …
Finally these incompetent, corrupt and typically incompetent and law un-abiding leaders (see the recurrent unlawful violations of domicile denounced in my site) have utterly destroyed Italy. Close to 6 million residents and citizens have already fled the country since 2007-2008 and the exodus continues. Including migrants. Half the population is reduced to close to relative poverty and Italy is now in prey of a catastrophic « demographic winter ».
This is from a disgusted Italian citizen but one proud of the Italian Constitution, born from the Resistance to Nazi-Fascism and whose Article 10 enshrines asylum right.
Paul De Marco, former professor of International Relations – International Political Economy.
1 ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_7_of_the_Treaty_on_European_Union
4 ) According to German Ambassador to Italy, in , https://www.msn.com/it-it/notizie/politica/rispettiamo-i-patti-berlino-risponde-picche-a-parigi-ma-l-italia-non-%C3%A8-sola/ar-AA140n1J?ocid=SL5MDHP&pc=SL5M&cvid=8081d6123d7f43ebbdc6d1d071461c5a