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| Europe |
| Italy: Illegal migrants land in Sardinia despite tough new law |
| 2009-07-04 |
| [ADN Kronos] Two boats carrying 44 illegal immigrants from Algeria arrived off the coast of the Italian island of Sardinia late Thursday, the same day that the country made illegal immigration a crime. The migrants were spotted by the Italian coast guard 10 nautical miles off Capo Teulada, on the island's southwest. The immigrants made the perilous journey on two wooden boats propelled by outboard engines. A pregnant woman among the migrants reportedly suffered strong abdominal pain during the journey. After they were intercepted by Italian authorities, the migrants were transferred to an immigration centre in Elmas, near Cagliari, the provincial capital of Sardinia. Thirty-eight other Algerians arrived in Sardinia on Wednesday, media reports said. However, the Italian parliament on Thursday approved controversial security bill making illegal immigration a punishable offence. The law also a triples the amount of time illegal immigrants can be detained in holding centres from two to six months. Under the provisions, people entering Italy without permission face fines of up to 10,000 euros and immediate expulsion. In May Italy began returning to Libya migrants rescued or intercepted in international waters, triggering criticism from the Vatican and the United Nations Refugee Agency or UNHCR. The repatriations followed a deal Italy struck with Libya last year to combat people trafficking in the Mediterranean. However the latest landing arrived from Algeria. Some 36,000 migrants arrived in Italy by sea in 2008, with around 30,000 landing on the islet of Lampedusa which lies between Sicily and North Africa. A fewer number manage to arrive in Sardinia, located further north. Italy has the European Union's longest coastline - 4,500 kilometres - making it difficult to police and a preferred destination for migrants. |
| Posted by:Fred |