18 September 2023
36734
2023-09-18 10:07
EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited a migrant center on Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa that was overwhelmed with nearly 7,000 arrivals in this week.
Meloni has pledged tougher measures and is calling for a naval blockade of North Africa to prevent migrants on smugglers’ boats from departing.
Earlier Saturday, her interior minister held a video call with counterparts from the European Union including France, Germany and Spain to seek a common line.
The crisis is challenging unity within the EU and also Meloni’s government. Most of the migrants arriving this week departed from Tunisia.