Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called on the European Union to do more to help countries deal with the migrant crisis, as thousands of people continue to arrive on its shores from Africa and the Middle East.
Meloni, who leads a right-wing coalition government that won the elections in September 2022, said that Europe needs to find short-term solutions to the humanitarian emergency, as well as long-term strategies to address the root causes of migration.
The migrant crisis has also sparked political and social tensions in Italy and across Europe. Meloni’s government has faced criticism from human rights groups and some opposition parties for its hardline stance on migration.
The EU has been struggling to find a common response to the migrant challenge for years. It has tried to boost cooperation with countries of origin and transit, increase border controls and patrols, and reform its asylum system. However, these efforts have been hampered by disagreements among member states over how to share responsibility and solidarity.
A boat carrying about 200 migrants sank off the coast of Italy on February 26, 2023. The migrants were trying to reach Europe from Turkey, fleeing from war, poverty and persecution in their countries of origin. The boat was overloaded and capsized in stormy seas near the southern Calabria region.
The Italian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and have arrested two suspected smugglers who allegedly threw children out of the boat.
This is one of the worst tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea involving migrants in recent years. The incident has renewed the spotlight on Europe’s migrant crisis and the need for more solidarity and cooperation among EU member states.
