[FOXNEWS] Italia’s new hardline, anti-immigrant interior minister has refused port to a Dutch-flagged rescue ship carrying more than 200 migrants colonists because it is now in Maltese waters.
On Thursday, Matteo Salvini accused the ship, which is operated by German NFO Mission Lifeline, of acting improperly by taking on board the 224 migrants colonists that the Italian coasties had assigned to the Libyan coasties to rescue. He claimed the rescue was in Libyan waters, which Lifeline denies.
"I want to save lives but I’m paid by Italians to defend the safety of Italian citizens. I don’t accept there are organizations of pseudo-volunteers that endanger the lives of those who flee Africa and then think to disembark them all in Italia," he said.
He added that those on board the ship "will only see Italia on a postcard". |