Tunisia needs help, crisis fuels migrant departures says Tajani

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 27 - Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Monday called for international financial assistance for Tunisia in order to stem the growing number of migrant departures to Italy.
    "It's a case of a dog chasing its tail, the financial emergency is fuelling the migrant emergency," Tajani said in an interview to Corriere della Sera, calling for World Bank and IMF funding for the north African country.
    "Everyone is moving, let's not make the mistake of leaving Tunisia to the Muslim Brotherhood," he added. .
    Tajani also commented on the case of the humanitarian rescue ship Louise Michel detained in Lampedusa since Saturday for allegedly breaching rules banning multiple rescues and "complicating" the coordination of rescue operations underway in the area.
    "If there are rules they must be respected," said Tajani referring to a recent package of measures introduced by the government to regulate the activities of NGOs conducting search and rescue operations in the central Mediterranean.
    The law requires NGO ships to request a place of safety after the first rescue and head directly to the assigned port.
    "The state is doing everything in its power, there are no preconceptions against NGOs," continued the deputy prime minister.
    "There are laws, and there is relentless work by everyone, by our Coast Guard and by our Navy," he said. (ANSA).