(Finance) – “Let’s make the expulsions of dangerous illegal immigrants quicker, let’s introduce full protection for all women and maintain that for minors but with the new rules it will no longer be possible to lie about your real age”.
With these words, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni summarizes the perimeter established by the decree on immigration and security approved yesterday in the Council of Ministers, repelling the controversies that have come from various quarters – with the Ombudsman for Children in the lead – relating to some measures introduced on unaccompanied minors, primarily the possibility of hosting 16-year-olds in ordinary centers and not exclusively in structures specifically dedicated to their age group. One measure present in the final draft is left out, namely the possibility for the Ministry of the Interior to make use of the Coast Guard in hotspot: It seems to have been missing financial coverage.
The measure was illustrated by the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi.e. that of Justice, Carlo Nordio. On unaccompanied foreign minors, the first underlined, “We do not derogate from the protections. It is simply provided that in the event of a significant influx and unavailability of structures, the prefect can order the temporary stay for a period not exceeding 90 days” in ordinary centres, but “the protections and differentiated treatment for the self-styled minor do not cease” Anthropometric checks are expected to determine age.
Nordio reported the inadequacy of current laws. “The first legislation on immigration regulation – he recalled – is the Turco Napolitano law. We have witnessed a regulatory failure in the last 25 years, we are now intervening effectively”.
Satisfaction expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini: “less crime, violence, more controls and security: let’s continue like this”. While for the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, “this decision demonstrates the commitment to providing concrete responses to the country’s needs”.
Perplexity, not only from the opposition, but also from the CEI. “We express all our concern – said the general secretary, Monsignor Giuseppe Baturi – for a solution to the problem of migrants only in terms of rejection, containment and public order”. And the minors, he pointed out, “they need greater protection, as do women.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent a letter to the partners of the EuMed9 format, in view of the Malta summit on Friday, and for information to Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel. “The importance of working on a common and cohesive position, to make action more effective. And the need to insist on the rapid implementation of the common approach, agreed at the European Council in February”, writes Meloni.
The appeal, diplomatic sources explain, is to continuecommit to giving signals and having immediate results, with a reference to the Memorandum with Tunisia.