The European Commission has hoped Friday that France and Italy can overcome the «difficulties» after the controversy following the rescue of more than 200 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea by the ship ‘Ocean Viking’, which has finally been allowed to dock in French port after more than two weeks at sea by the refusal of the Government of Giorgia Meloni to disembark the rescued in Italian territory.
«What I can say as an Italian and as a European commissioner is that good relations between these two great countries are fundamental. That is why we hope that these difficulties will be overcome as soon as possible,» said the economic head of the Community Executive, Paolo Gentiloni.
The commissioner has thus avoided directly assessing the turn taken by the new Italian far-right government on migration issues, although he pointed out that the understanding between Rome and Paris must take place «with clear respect for European principles and rules».
Later, the Community spokesperson for the Interior, Anitta Hipper, indicated that Brussels maintains «contacts at different levels» with the French and Italian authorities on this matter, but that it does not for the moment envisage a high-level meeting to address the differences.
She has also appreciated that the ship ‘Ocean Viking’ in which the NGO SOS Méditerranée is sailing to carry out rescue work has finally found a safe port in which to disembark, as Brussels demanded these days without indicating which territory it considered the most suitable.
Since the beginning of the dispute, the EU executive has limited itself to recalling that it is a «moral duty» and a «legal obligation» for Member States to rescue migrants in distress on the high seas, regardless of the circumstances in which they arrived there. Brussels called for the urgent disembarkation of the occupants of the ship but made it clear that the designation of the safe harbor is a circumstance that does not fall within its competence.
This Friday, the Italian Prime Minister has been «very surprised» by the «aggressive reaction» of the French Government on account of the reception of the ‘Ocean Viking’ and has warned that «it is not written» in any agreement «that Italy has to be the only port of disembarkation».
The French authorities announced the suspension of a plan to welcome 3,500 refugees arriving in Italy after the transalpine country refused to allow the docking of the SOS Méditerranée ship, which has finally sailed to the French port of Toulon.
