The EU is the joint surveillance mission in the Mediterranean sea, drown, because Italy wants to change the rules? A compromise will not have found the Minister of defence yet. From Brussels Bernd Riegert.
The EU defence Ministers now have six weeks time to an extension of the common Marine Mission, Sophia, to negotiate in the Mediterranean sea. On new year’s eve the past three years operating, the EU would have to return to the fleet – including the German frigate “Augsburg” in the ports, because the mandate ends. The Ministers could not agree in Brussels on the Amendments of the mandate that calls for the right-wing populist government in Italy since the summer. “They all want to continue with the Operation. The was unanimous,” said EU high representative Federica Mogherini after the meeting of the Minister of defence. “I am therefore confident that you will agree.”
Mogherini: hope for a compromise before the end of the year (archive)
Italy wants to get rid of responsibility
So far, Italy was committed to the 2015 adopted rules to allow migrants, who were rescued by Sophia-vessels in distress at sea, in the Italian ports. The right-wing populist Minister of the interior Matteo Salvini of the Lega party, however, refuses to let even castaway enter in Italy. He’s threatening to refuse international naval units, the Mooring in Italian ports. Salvini wants to, as well as achieving defense Minister of Elisabetta Trenta (Five star movement), that other EU States take on the castaways and their asylum procedures to take care of. “It is not possible that Italy is the only country is the port and for all of the migrants arises,” said Elisabetta Trenta prior to the meeting.
At the Meeting of defense Ministers in Brussels this Tuesday, it turned out, however, that no country is permanently on the Opening of its ports for migrants willing. The EU proposal to extend foreign policy representative, Federica Mogherini, the mandate of all sides actually consider it to be useful Sophia Mission, at least temporarily, for one year, refused to Italy. Because only a handful of EU States would have been willing, on a voluntary Basis, in distress at sea rescued migrants, which usually start in Libya.
German frigate “Augsburg” is part of the Sophia-fleet
No permanent solution in sight
In the months before Matteo Salvini, the Italian Minister of the interior had called for, again and again, binding Commitments. Salvini has already been denied multiple private Rescue boats in Italian ports. Malta followed his example. This practice leads to a private aid organization have adjusted their work to a large extent. Italy as the EU more and more to the fact that migrants are rescued in distress at sea by the Libyan coast guard and then to Libya and brought back. In the summer, in the build-up of the Libyan coast guard accepted a rescue zone off the coast of Libya in the southern Mediterranean, for until then, Italy was responsible.
The training and the equipment of the coast guard of the very fragile state of Libya is a part of the order of the Operation Sophia. In Italy and Croatia training courses are held for the training of Libyan officers. 300 members of the coast guard to be trained by the end of the year. The Central government ruled with the official coast guard, however, only a part of Libya. In other Parts of the militias, which work together according to the findings of humanitarian organizations, either with gangs or corrupt coast guard units, or both. The refugee Agency of the United Nations (UNHCR) camps this circumstance and also the poor conditions in Libyan Migrants is sharply criticized.
Italy has the Sophia-command at his own request: Admiral Credendino (archive)
Rescue at sea is no Central task
In addition to the training of the coast guard, the hunting gangs and their infrastructure is part of the mandate of the Mission Sophia. In the last three years, Sophia, according to the Italian counter-Admiral Enrico Credendino, who heads the Mission, 545 tug boats confiscate or destroy and 143 of the traffickers arrested. Task is also a UN arms embargo against Libya to enforce. To the rescue of shipwrecked migrants, the attempt of the North African coast to Italy, is actually not the main task of the EU flotilla. Nevertheless the Sophia-ships, planes and helicopters have fished according to the Federal Navy in three years, approximately 49 000 people from the sea and mostly in the Italian ports. This year, the number of attempted Crossings and the number of castaways is on the decrease. Sophia has constantly four ships and six aircraft.
Continue to negotiate
In Brussels, to be negotiated, said EU diplomats, now, to rescue the Sophia Mission on the end of the year. However, Italy uses the From threatened to Sophia also as a means of pressure in the budget dispute with the EU Commission. “This makes the situation not easier”, said EU diplomats familiar with the negotiations. “If there is no solution, then Sophia is finished, of course. That would not be good,” said the Austrian Minister of defence, Mario Kunasek. He belongs to the right-wing populist FPÖ, which sees the Lega Nord politician Matteo Salvini as an ally. “You are not allowed to leave Italy alone,” said Kunasek in Brussels. Austria, however, want to absorb additional migrants from Italian ports.