Interior Undersecretary Nicola
Molteni on Saturday denounced the "very serious interference"
from Germany in relation to its funding of a German NGO carrying
out rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean and
disembarking the rescued migrants and refugees in Italy.
"Berlin must provide clarification on the funding to Sos
Humanity," Molteni told ANSA, referring to reports that the
German government has allocated 790,000 euros to the charity.
"It is an act that limits our country's sovereignty: a state
that funds a foreign entity to bring migrants to Italy," he
said.
"On a more general level, I expect the European Union to impose
the principle of responsibility of the flag state: if a German
(rescue) ship positions itself in front of Libya it must take
rescued migrants to Germany," continued Molteni.
"We will insist with Europe on this issue," he added.
On Friday sources at the office of Premier Giorgia Meloni voiced
"great astonishment at the news reported by ANSA according to
which a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Federal
Republic of Germany has announced imminent funding to NGOs for a
project to assist migrants on Italian territory and a project of
'rescues' at sea".
"The Italian government will immediately contact the German
authorities for clarification," the sources said.
It later emerged that the NGO to receive the funding is SOS
Humanity, which operates rescue vessels in the central
Mediterranean.
The NGO itself said it had been allocated 790,000 euros.
Separately, the lay Catholic Sant'Egidio Community charity said
on Friday had signed a fresh deal with Berlin to fund migrant
activities in Italy, as part of a years-long relationship.
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