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There is a shortage of space in the camp on the Italian Mediterranean island. Fewer migrants are arriving than before.
What is the problem on the Italian island? The refugee camp on Lampedusa actually has space for 350 people. However, last week around 1800 people were there. And this week many new refugees are expected to arrive on the Italian island.
Actually, the arrivals should not stay there long. The warehouse is therefore deliberately kept small. The idea is that they will be quickly transferred to other camps in Italy. The authorities must therefore create space and redistribute the refugees quickly.
How is the clearing of the camp progressing? The evacuation started at the weekend, as SRF Italy correspondent Philipp Zahn knows. “Actually, the last 200 migrants should still be brought by ship to the Italian continent, especially to Sicily.” In the last two days, the Italian navy with a landing ship and the coast guard had emptied the completely overcrowded reception station.
How did the camp become overcrowded? On the one hand, a lot of people came across the sea again, says Zahn. «Especially people from Tunisia. These are migrants who have no residence status in Italy and have to leave the country again.”
The contracts with the cooperative are said to have expired and there were not enough police personnel.
On the other hand, there were apparently problems with the management of the reception center: “The contracts with the cooperative are said to have expired and there were not enough police personnel.” That’s why the police union sent a call for help to the Ministry of the Interior in Rome last week, saying that the situation in Lampedusa had to be improved quickly.
Legend:
Pictures of the overcrowded and littered camp are circulating on social media. The UN Organization for Migration speaks of a “shame”.
Reuters/Archive
How bad was the situation there recently? The former mayor of Lampedusa, Giusi Nicolini, spoke of conditions that are actually only known from Libya. As a result, people had to sleep among rubbish, the toilets were clogged and the kitchens unclean. “There were also pregnant women. It was really an inhumane situation, »said the correspondent.
The questions that arose were: Is this politically desired? Was that provoked? Do you want to draw attention to the migration situation in Italy? “There are still many question marks. And it will continue to be discussed.”
How is the population of Lampedusa reacting to this? She is “very upset,” says Zahn, because the high season has started and one doesn’t want such inhumane conditions “within sight of the holiday beaches.”
Is migration back in focus? “Absolutely,” says the longtime Italy connoisseur. “Matteo Salvini, who is part of Mario Draghi’s government with his Lega and was already known for his tough stance as interior minister, has already announced that he wants to go to Lampedusa in the next few days to express his solidarity with the island’s population.” He will certainly speak out against the further admission of refugees via the Mediterranean. “It’s also clear that a dispute can break out in the governing coalition.”