Presumption of minority must be maintained - ombudsman

The principle of the presumption of minority for unaccompanied minors arriving in Italy must continue to be applied, the Ombudsman for Childhood and Adolescence Carla Garlatti said on Wednesday.
    "It must not be and cannot be touched," said Garlatti during her presentation to parliament of her office's 2022 report.
    "It is unthinkable and unacceptable that in the event of doubt it should be the minor that has to prove to be such," she added.
    Garlatti's comments came after it emerged on Tuesday that migrants convicted of misrepresenting their true age are to be expelled under the terms of a new draft security decree set to come before the cabinet on Wednesday.
    The government of right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni has said recently it wants to clamp down on unaccompanied migrants and refugees who falsely claim they are minors in order to benefit from the special protection regime Italy offers to minors arriving on its territory without a parent or legal guardian.
    The protection is offered under a 2017 law known as the Legge Zampa after the senator who presented it, which has been held up as a model across Europe and is based on the presumption of minority.
    "It is difficult and expensive to obtain documents and for refugees it is impossible," continued Garlatti.
    It is important to ensure that unaccompanied migrants and refugees have their initial interview as soon as possible after arriving in Italy and that a volunteer guardian is appointed "immediately", she added.
    Volunteer guardians, created under the terms of the Zampa law, are trained volunteers who provide legal representation and practical and emotional support to unaccompanied minors during their integration in Italy, as well as ensuring that their rights are fully respected. (ANSA).