Sicily governor fights govt in COVID migrant row

(ANSA) - PALERMO, 24 AGO - Sicily Governor Nello Musumeci is fighting the government in Rome after he ordered all the island's migrant hotspots and reception centres closed and migrants moved to the mainland over COVID fears.
    The government says public health and migrant policy is its prerogative, not the region's.
    "Health security and safety is a priority of the State," said the interior ministry.
    Musumeci doubled down on his ordinance Monday saying that another 58 COVID positive migrants had arrived on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.
    He said he was ready to take legal action to assert his claim to regional action taking precedence over national policy.
    Musumeci accused Rome of wanting to "create one giant concentration camp" for migrants.
    He said the numbers of migrant arrivals in Sicily were "shocking".
    The governor said over 7,000 migrants landed in July, and another 3,000 in August.
    This compared to just over 1,000 in both July and August last year, he said.
    "I'm going ahead, let the prefectures act," said the governor.
    The centre-right governor was lauded by Italy's centre-right opposition parties.
    He was criticised by ruling centre-left parties. (ANSA).