Migrants continue to arrive on the island of Lampedusa. On Saturday alone there were another thousand people trying to get to Europe by boat. Local residents are becoming increasingly restless.
Shortly before the visit of Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, expected on Sunday morning, migrants continue to arrive in Lampedusa. On Sunday morning, 144 people reached the southern Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. Authorities reported that other boats with hundreds of people on board were heading towards Lampedusa.
There are now more migrants than residents on the island
There are currently about 2,000 people in the island’s hotspot. 640 migrants are expected to leave Lampedusa for Sicily on Sunday. Authorities want to ease pressure on the island, which was confronted with unprecedented migration movements this week. This week, 11,000 people reached Lampedusa, where 6,300 people live.
There was a protest demonstration by residents in Lampedusa on Saturday. They were demonstrating against alleged plans to set up a tent camp to house the migrants as the island’s hotspot is overcrowded. “It’s over, Lampedusa is ours and not the EU,” chanted the demonstrators who blocked some streets.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected in Lampedusa next Sunday. She follows an invitation from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who will accompany the German top politician to the island. Meloni had invited Von der Leyen “to make us personally aware of the seriousness of the situation we find ourselves in.”
Tunisia is assigned a key role
Italy’s head of government is pushing for EU intervention to prevent migrants from crossing the Mediterranean – she even mooted a naval operation to prevent migrants from leaving.
Meloni and von der Leyen visited Tunisia together in June, from where most migrants left for Italy. The EU is planning an agreement with the North African country: in exchange for millions in financial aid, Tunisia will take stronger action against smugglers and illegal crossings in the future.
Source: Krone
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