«With regard to the recent and renewed declarations on the work of the Italian government and, in particular, on the issue of rescuing migrants and funding for NGOs, I want to remind, with respect, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to which I respond personally because I don't have a 'spokesperson', who would have expected help and solidarity in a moment of difficulty, as we Italians are in the habit of doing with all nations, when they are in difficulty. It comes naturally to us Italians."
Thus Defense Minister Guido Crosetto wanted to sting the Berlin government for its refusal to welcome migrants from Lampedusa, for the accusations in Rome of not respecting the Dublin agreements and for the funding of NGOs that save migrants in case of shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
«As regards the specific topic, I limited myself to underlining, in an interview, that, instead, their response was almost exclusively to help and finance some German and non-German NGOs », added Crosetto.
And again, said the minister, «as regards rescues at sea, I want to remind our German friends that those carried out by NGOs represent just 5% , while the various Italian institutions, primarily the port authorities, the Guardia di finance and the Navy, which has among its institutional duties that of rescuing anyone in difficulty at sea, represent the majority of the rescues themselves ."
Then a proposal: «If Germany cared about the fate of people in difficulty and really wanted to help us save lives, it could help build what we call the 'Mattei plan' for Africa , to seriously fight criminals who traffic in human beings and lend a hand to the institutions and bodies, military and civilian, of the Italian Republic. We will be very happy."
However, France arrives to extend its hand to Rome. “We cannot leave the Italians alone,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview. The Elysée leader, however, added that «most of Lampedusa's migrants come from sub-Saharan Africa, from countries to which we provide development aid. We must tell them 'we help you, but you must help us dismantle the passeur organisations'."
(Unioneonline/lf)
