Letta: Dedicate the October European Council to immigration

The Prime Minister: We have decided together with the Greek government to make it the focus of our work in 2014
Barroso: We are ready to mobilize up to an extra 30 million Euro in 2013 for the refugees in Italy

 2014 should be the year of immigration for the European Union and the next Summit of the Heads of State and governments of member states should discuss the topic. Enrico Letta, President of the Council, requested it after his visit to Lampedusa taken with his Deputy, Angelino Alfano, the President of the European Commission, Josè Manuel Barroso, and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom. “I already spoke with Barroso and soon I will speak with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, to request that the next Summit of the European Council discuss the issue of immigration, which was not expected.”

Letta requests a change in agenda for the next meeting on October 24-25th and also revises that of the Italian presidency turn in the EU. Initially focused on the battle against unemployment, especially among youth, the business that was supposed to be dedicated to Rome during the Italian presidency will be dedicated– if only or Letta doesn’t explain this either – to immigration. “We have decided with the EU Commission and the Greek government to make a joint effort in 2014 – the year in which the issue we are living with the dramatic tragedy of Lampedusa is high on the agenda.” In fact, precisely Greece and Italy will hold the 2 semesters of EU Presidency next year.

A pledge from Barroso, who flaunts prolific Italian, announcing that the European Commission, starting now, “is ready to mobilize up to 30 million Euro of additional resources in 2013 to help the refugees in Italy.” For the future, what just happened in Lampedusa “must make us realize that in Europe this problem is everyone’s,” and also for this reason “Europe can’t turn its back when ships are sinking.”