When Are The Italians Going To Say "enough Is Enough"?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3038913/Hundreds-migrants-die-trying-reach-Europe-Libya-Boat-carrying-550-people-capsizes-victim-board-vessel-thrown-sharks.html

They should be rescued from their flimsy unseaworthy vessels and transported back to Africa.

[TWR]

100/% Agree.

[naomi24]

Me too. Sooner or later this constant influx must become unsustainable.

[retrocop]

I thought that I read a few weeks ago that the Italians had said "Enough is enough". Although it is a law of the sea that "all vessels are obliged to go to the assistance of any stricken vessel in order to save life" I believe the Italians hinted that they may confine their Coastguard cutters to port as it was time the rest of Europe shouldered the responsibility.

[retrocop]

http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/italy-politics.wzo
This link says the Italian Interior Minister has said, give us some more money or we wind up "Mare Nostrum"

[anotheoldgit]

Why should we or anyone else for that matter pay Italians anything, would they pay us for all those crossing the Channel?

[retrocop]

aog
I agree entirely,
//Asylum rules are very strict in the EU, where requests must be made in the country of entry. Once the registration process has begun -- with the digital recording of fingerprints in particular -- it is difficult for refugees to request asylum in another country.//
This is from the link above. It is what we have,no doubt, said many times on AB in the past.
The Italians will have to" put up or shut up".They will have to tow the vessels back to Tunis or Libya and repatriate the immigrants instead of doing a France and allow a number to conveniently find their way into Sweden as they have been accused of doing.
Seems it is quite clear here about asylum rules but it seems to escape the attention of our government and is not implemented.

[Old_Geezer]

Italy probably figures taking them back so they can try again is just cost to them. Easier to bring them in knowing some other EU country is most likely to be their final destination. After all we are all one big happy country now aren't we ? Everyone goes everywhere, wherever it's cushiest.

[retrocop]

//After all we are all one big happy country now aren't we ? Everyone goes everywhere, wherever it's cushiest. //

Well we have one party who promises us emphatically they would pull us out the EC in order to gain votes if they got into power and we have our current government offering a referendum subject to negotiation with Brussels first to pull out of Europe
That would suggest to me that WE are not all one big happy country.

[anotheoldgit]

Old_Geezer

/// Italy probably figures taking them back so they can try again is just cost to them. Easier to bring them in knowing some other EU country is most likely to be their final destination. ///

Don't you think that if they just keep letting them in more and more will carry on taking the chance of crossing the Med?

Yet if they took them back they would soon learn that it is not worth taking the chance because they will only be sent back.

[tonyav]

Apparently August is usually ''Boating Season''.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/what-happens-to-african-migrants-once-they-land-in-italy-during-the-summer-9681473.html

[retrocop]

aog
That is what many links are saying.The Italian coastguard are unwittingly encouraging more immigrant boats by landing them on Italian territory.

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unconvinced that will be a major affect in this case. They see a potential improvement in their life that they feel is worth major risk. They would know that they only get sent back if caught, in which case they can try again. The only difference is that getting rescued now counts as a "win" rather than a "lose - try again" scenario. I'd suspect the number put off knowing they'd be returned after being rescued, would be minimal. The stakes/potential benefit are/is too high.

[Old_Geezer]

Now if they shot them all on sight ... that might do it ;-)

[sandyRoe]

How about sinking the boats while still at sea? The message would soon get out and the flotillas would stop.

[ToraToraTora]

now if I'd have said that sandy......

[sandyRoe]

People would have thought you were being serious. ☺

[retrocop]

TTT
I think I will reach for my halo. :-)

[andy-hughes]

AOG - //Yet if they took them back they would soon learn that it is not worth taking the chance because they will only be sent back.//

I would suggest that such a statement indicates that you underestimate the need and desire for these people to try anything - including a very real risk of death - to escape their political and economic situations.

That doesn't even deter people hitching rides in trailers through the Chanel Tunnel - what makes you think people as desperate as this would be put off by the need simply to try again?

[youngmafbog]

So I take it you would like all borders opened right up then Andy.

Are you going to put them up in your back yard ?

[Khandro]

We used to pay Gadhafi and he prevented it from happening from the Libyan coast which is the main route, - yet another outcome of meddling in the middle east.