Italian PM Meloni to Increase Expulsions of Migrants

On Tuesday, the Italian Interior Ministry Matteo Piatendosi announced that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will issue a decree to increase expulsions of migrants starting in September.

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This policy will be implemented given that the number of undocumented migrants increased by 115 percent in the first seven months compared to the same period of the previous year.

From January to the end of July, 89,158 migrants landed on Italian shores. Last year, that number was only 41,435 migrants.

Tunisia has replaced Libya as the main country of departure to Italy, where repatriations have increased by 28 percent and asylum applications by 71 percent, that is, the Italian authorities rejected almost 1 in 2 asylum applications.

"We will strengthen the expulsion system, especially for people who have proven to be dangerous. We will put resources and faster procedures for the implementation of the CPRs, the centers where irregular migrants are detained to be deported," Piatendosi said.

In an interview published in the newspaper Il Messaggero, the Interior Minister also announced that the Meloni administration has managed to increase the expulsions of migrants by 30 percent so far this year.

The increase in arrivals of migrants is "linked to a dramatic socioeconomic crisis in Tunisia," Piatendosi said, recalling that the statistics show a decrease in the number of entries into Italian territory of citizens from countries such as Algeria, Libya or Turkey.

Meanwhile, landings continue in Lampedusa, where over 700 migrants have arrived in the last 24 hours in seven small boats, one of which contained the body of a young man who died during his journey to European territory.