One hundred and thirteen migrants rescued by the humanitarian ship ocean viking are due to dock this Saturday, December 31 in the port of Ravenna, northern Italy, after a four-day voyage from the scene of the rescue. On the eve of the new year, the government of Giorgia Meloni wants to reshuffle the cards. It will not ban the arrival of ships as discussed during the September elections, but changes the rules.
Forgot the blockade of ports promised during the campaign. The Italian government guarantees transit and stopovers on its territory to vessels providing assistance to migrants. But under conditions already denounced loud and clear by NGOs and lawyers as contrary to international law.
The assigned safe port will not necessarily be the closest as foreseen by maritime law. L’ocean vikingis the first ship to experience it. On December 27, the authorities had ordered him to reach Ravenna in northern Italy, extending his journey by several days. This limits rescue operations.
While the #OceanViking is heading for Ravenna, ~900NM from the world’s deadliest sea route since 2014, we fear that countless tragedies like Ibrahim’s will continue to unfold without a trace.
— SOS MEDITERRANEE France (@SOSMedFrance) December 29, 2022
Ships will have to sail to the assigned port from the first rescue, without rescuing other boats, unless this does not slow their return to Italy.
NGO refusal
The government would also plan to initiate simplified asylum application procedures before arrival on Italian territory. Offenders are liable to fines of up to 50,000 euros and the sequestration of the vessel.
The German NGO sea-eye has already made it known that it refuses to comply with a regulation contrary to international law. The NGOs Doctors Without Borders and Emergency denounce rules that may ultimately increase the number of deaths in the central Mediterranean.
► Read also : The long journey that awaits those disembarked from the “Ocean Viking”