EU helpt Italië bij grote toestroom Tunesische immigranten (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The EU will help Italy in dealing with the sudden influx of Tunisian migrants, but this should not "undermine" its support for the democratic "wind of renewal" blowing in north African countries, home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom i told MEPs on Tuesday (15 February).

"We are ready to assist both Italy and Tunisia. This is a matter of great importance for the EU as a whole, not just a bilateral issue," said Ms Malmstrom during a last-minute debate in Strasbourg on the topic of Tunisian migrants and an Italian crackdown threatening to undermine the bloc's image as a friend of democratic change.

The Italian interior minister at one point suggested sending soldiers to Tunisia to stop the "exodus," with Italy's harsh reaction coming in the middle of EU top diplomat Catherine Ashton i's visit to north Africa and the Middle East.

Some 5,500 Tunisian migrants are reported to have reached Italian shores in the last couple of days, the commissioner noted. Most of them are men in their 30s, but there are also 34 women and 108 children. Twenty seven facilitators of trafficking have been identified.

"These arrivals on Italian shores are causing an exceptional pressure on the reception facilities of Italy, particularly in Lampedusa," Ms Malsmstrom said. "But our approach should also be based on solidarity with Tunisia and its democratic transition. This was also expressed by Lady Ashton who met Tunisian authorities in Tunis yesterday."

"A wind of renewal is blowing in the Mediterranean as a result of popular revolutions," she added. "This wind can bring many positive developments to Tunisia, to other countries and the EU. The current situation in Lampedusa should not undermine our intention to offer assistance to these emerging democracies and the young generation that, so passionately and in such a peaceful way, has been able to achieve fundamental political changes.'

Ms Malmstrom explained that the EU can quickly send help for accommodation, medical care and counseling facilities.

According to EU's border agency Frontex i, the main need identified by Italy is to send in experts to screen and debrief the irregular migrants. A joint surveillance mission under an EU flag is likely to be deployed in the coming days, with several countries already indicating their willingness to send ships and helicopters.

The issue will be taken up next week by EU foreign ministers meeting and by interior ministers.

Most MEPs taking the floor on Tuesday disapproved of the security-focused approach of Italian officials and warned this may send a bad signal to other Arab countries where democratic movements are under fire.

Portuguese leftist MEP Rui Tavares i stressed that under pre-revolutionary Tunisian law, emigration is a crime and EU states should not send people back "because they will end up in jail."

Other deputies said that people will find a way to return to the EU unless underlying causes are tackled. "There are no trade unions, there are no civil society associations, there is not a free press, but above all there is no respect for the human rights in Maghreb countries," said Italian right-wing MEP Fiorello Provera i.

Maltese centre-right MEP Simon Bussutil i said the commission should do more to help Mediterranean countries share the "burden" of migrants.

"We need to bear in mind that in the Treaty we have article 80 which clearly states that our immigration policy should be based on the principle of solidarity and on the just sharing of responsibility. I think it is about the time that the Commission implements this article," he noted.