Italy, France, Germany and Malta for the first time decided to apply a new way of distributing migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea.
This, first of all, concerns the reception of 213 migrants from the Ocean Viking ship.
According to the Italian Foreign Ministry, all countries jointly turned to the European Commission with a request to activate the distribution mechanism, which was previously agreed in Malta in September.
“This is the first time this has happened,” the message from Rome said. The Italian Ministry of the Interior spoke of “a significant step towards a truly joint regulation of migration”.
This clears the way for the reception of 213 migrants through Italy, France, Germany and Malta. People rescued in the Mediterranean in recent days are still on the Ocean Viking. Now they can go ashore in Sicilian Messina. 213 migrants were saved by the Doctors Without Borders and SOS Méditerranée.
According to the Finnish Interior Minister, the deal is “time limited” and only applies to migrants rescued at sea.
Recall also on Saturday, November 23, the Italian coast guard saved 149 migrants from a boat in distress near the island of Lampedusa.