The arrival of new migrants on the Italian coasts does not stop. And Sardinia is no exception . What makes the phenomenon more difficult to manage is the increasingly frequent presence of unaccompanied foreign minors (MSNA) on board , with the reception circuit on the island at risk of not being able to withstand the impact.
«Minors are on board more and more often», says Carla Puligheddu, the Regional Guarantor for Children and Adolescents , who takes stock of the situation, which has now become a “code red”. «Compared to the 50 last spring, we reached 179 registered on 30 June 2023 and increased exponentially with the disembarkation of 120 new minors in Cagliari on 30 August and a further 100 on 13 September, all requesting international protection . The reception system, despite the enormous efforts made by the prefecture and the civil protection operators, by Caritas and the red cross, together with the health care of the ASL, is in difficulty."
«For UASC, in fact – continues Puligheddu – our laws provide a system of protection and reinforced guarantees which include, among other things, the appointment of a voluntary guardian and reception in dedicated structures from the first reception. Unfortunately, at the moment there is no availability of adequate structures and trained volunteer guardians are insufficient compared to the number of minors present. The 2017 Zampa law provides for training courses to be organized in the regions by the Guarantors for childhood and adolescence, which in Sardinia was activated with the appointment of the Guarantor last March. Naturally it was necessary to prepare a notice, with all the necessary technical and bureaucratic times and compliance with those required for the submission of applications. The course will take place in Cagliari in November and will train 32 new guardians. Always few to meet the numerous needs. A second tender will be prepared in central northern Sardinia, in the first half of 2024, with the hope that there will be greater participation from the citizens of Sardinia. What is needed, as Monsignor Baturi, archbishop of Cagliari, said, is "social friendship" to achieve the common good. “We need the free desire to be a people”, as Pope Francis states».
