Another immigration tragedy, the EU wants to “contribute even more” to Italian efforts

5,000 migrants rescued only during the latest weekend, at least 30 victims in one of the boats trying the reach Italian shores. The migratory pressure on Italy has been growing steadily, and the European Union is thinking about a way for helping Italy. The Commissioner of the EU for Internal Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, said the EU is looking “at ways to contribute even more” to the “financing of the Italian efforts to host migrants and refugees on their territory.” This will be done “within the available resources” though, hence no extra funding for the emergency.

Currently, the EU is “making 4 million euro available in the framework of the Emergency Assistance to Italy,” explained the Commissioner, who said she has discussed the issue with the Italian Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano, during a bilateral meeting held last Thursday.

In a statement, Malmström expressed “sympathy to the victims and their relatives” and thanked “the Italian authorities for their impressive efforts which led to the rescue of around 5,000 people in the last days.” The Commission communicated they are already cooperating the Italian Presidency, and that is preparing a “European Union plan against the smuggling of migrants, involving all relevant actors, in particular Europol and Frontex”: the plan should be focused on “priority actions in cooperation with key third parties” aiming to “fight the criminal networks where they have their operational basis and work jointly to dismantle them.”