Italy is on the right track on
migrant repatriations and Libya, Frontex chief Patrice Leggeri
told ANSA Tuesday.
"Italy, over the last year, has been one of the member States
which has increased its activity of repatriation, both in terms
of decisions and of operations," Leggeri told ANSA in an
interview.
The country is moving "in the right direction to reinforce
this policy," he said.
"My concerns about a drop in decisions on repatriations do
not regard Italy," he said, citing the Minniti law positively.
Italy's work on migrants and Libya has been positive, Leggeri
added.
"Italy is working to use the resources allotted by the EU to
find sustainable solutions for Libya" and the migrants held
there, he said.
"And for now it is going in the right direction, even though
the conditions of the centres in Libya are not in line with our
standards, and with basic humanitarian standards.
"But that is not Italy's fault, all the international
community and not only the EU can help".
Interior Minister Marco Minniti earlier Tuesday said
migration is "now under control", speaking to State broadcaster
Rai1's 'Uno Mattina' program.
Meanwhile European border agency Frontex said more could be
done, while saying Italy was "on the right track" on
repatriations and on Libya.
"We have tried to govern the migration phenomenon which is
now under control", the minister said, noting that arrivals had
dropped for the eighth consecutive month.
"In February, we have registered a 90% decrease on last
February", Minniti noted, stressing however that the "situation
in Africa is very delicate and Libya is in a condition of
fragility".
He added that respecting human rights is a "fundamental
concern" for him.
"We are trying to manage the migration phenomenon, keeping
security and humanity together", he explained.
"It is possible to intervene in Africa, ensuring that those
who are fleeing war are not taken to Europe by smugglers but by
governments and NGOs through humanitarian corridors like the
ones we are organizing".
The migrant situation in the central Mediterranean towards
Italy "has improved and is under control" but it has "not been
resolved," Leggeri said.
Speaking to a press conference in Brussels, Leggeri said
"arrivals have fallen dramatically since July and since the
summer of 2017, and the downward trend is continuing".
There were only 300 arrivals in the first two weeks of
February, he said, "but now we have to look at sustainability"
given the situation in Libya.
In 2017 some 150,000 migrants were repatriated from the EU,"
but that is not enough, Leggeri told the press conference.
"This gives the measure of what is feasible," he said.
"I have expressed concern over the fall in decisions on
repatriations in the EU, which were down on the previous year".
He said "if there is a will to allocate greater resources and
funding, the situation can be improved at the European level".
Leggeri had been asked if is was possible to repatriate
500-600,000 irregular migrants now in Italy.
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