(Tiper Stock Exchange) – Green light from the Council of Ministers to the decree law on migrantswhich points to combat illegal traffic and encourage regular entries, through an increase in penalties and a simplification of requests for legal entry. A CDM that wanted to give an important signal to human traffickers and which, for this reason, was held in the place of the tragedy in which dozens of people and many children died.
“We wanted to hold the Council of Ministers here because, in the aftermath of the tragedy of 26 February, we wanted to give a signal at the same time symbolic and concrete“, said the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, recalling that this “is the first time that a CDM takes place in a place where a tragedy linked to the migration issue has taken place” and therefore “the presence of the entire CDM is a way for reiterate how attentive and focused this government is on this dossier“.
“I believe that what happened in Cutro is proof that there is no more responsible policy than that aimed at breaking the smuggler tradeto fight the slavery of the third millennium represented by these criminal organizations. We want to fight and defeat these people“.
“We wanted at the same time give a signal of closeness to the populations of the South that in recent years they have been more affected by the migration issue”, underlined the Premier, adding “we could not fail to give a concrete signal; our job is to find solutions to the problems and therefore I believe that we must do everything possible to avoid a repetition of these tragedies”.
The migrant decree fired from the CDM – explained Meloni – faces this problem and wants to “reiterate that we we are determined to defeat trafficking of human beings”. “Our answer is one firmer policy on the subject”, reiterated the Prime Minister, denying the press reconstructions that spoke of a “change in the government’s line”.
The heart of the decree – Meloni explained – concerns the increase in penalties and crimes related to human trafficking. The decree provides for an increase in penalties for the trafficking of migrants, but also provides for a new type of crime relating to the death and serious injuries as a result of trafficking in illegal immigrants, with sentences of up to thirty years’ imprisonment. The crime will be prosecuted by Italy even if committed outside the borders national.
“Let’s talk about a universal crime, which means not only targeting those traffickers that we find on the banks, but also the traffickers behind them. This element is very important because completely change the approach of our country”, said the Premier, adding “what this government wants to do is look for smugglers”.
Then there are rules on simplification of procedures of expulsion, rules for the strengthening of detention centres aimed at repatriation, rules for intervene in cases of opaque management of the centres for migrants and rules concerning the contrast and exploitation of illegal workers (agromafias, illegal hiring, etc.).
It comes again restricted special protection with the aim of abolishing it and aligning it with European legislation. And there is also the issue of contrast aimed at ensuring that “the message is passed on that it is not advisable to enter Italy illegally, because there are fewer possibilities for those who pay the smugglers than there are for those who do not”.
The decree passed today it also restores the flow decrees which “had been cleared due to illegal traffic” and which allow regular entry for work purposes, by staring precise criteria and quotas. The flow decree will come revised every three years. “We will bring in skilled labor who will be offered a dignified life” assures the Premier, adding “we will give privileged quotas to countries which, together with Italy, will carry out an information campaign on the risks of illegal trafficking”.
Meloni then spoke of the European size and international of the problem. “This theme must also be brought to an international level, because the more one manages to harmonize the legislations and the more you manage to fight the traffic of migrants”, said Meloni, reiterating that “the issue of migration today is extremely complex” and the government is “working on it at 360 degrees and at various levels”. “Cutro is only the starting point”, said Meloni.
“The European theme today becomes even more central. – concluded the President – We need European resources Why Italy cannot address the issue alone. There is a change of pace in President von der Leyen’s response. It is crucial for us that from next European Council they can be had concrete acts“.