Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini threatened on Wednesday to use tough, n...
ROME - Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini threatened on Wednesday to use tough, new measures for the first time on a German charity ship, Sea Watch, after it picked up migrants off the coast of Libya without authorization.
The Italian government on Tuesday approved a security decree that gives the Interior Ministry the power to deny access to Italian territorial waters to vessels that it considers are a risk to security or public order.It did not specify that charity ships were the intended target, but Salvini has vowed to halt their operations and he jumped on news that the Sea Watch vessel had picked up 52 people from a rubber boat some 47 miles from Libya.
Salvini accused the ship, which has repeatedly challenged his closed-port policy, of defying maritime law. Migrant arrivals to Italy have plummeted since Salvini took office a year ago, with 2,144 crossing the Mediterranean so far this year, according to official data, down 85% on the same period in 2018 and down 96% on 2017 levels.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Italy targets migrant rescue ships in emergency decreeItaly passed an emergency decree on Tuesday that limits the entry of ships into ...
Read more »
Italy limits migrant rescue ships access in emergency decreeThe Italian government passed an emergency decree limiting the entry of ships into its territorial waters to curb the activity of migrant rescue boats operated by charity foundations.
Read more »
Italy proposes tax on savings hidden in safety deposit boxesItaly's government may tax cash and other valuables locked away in safety d...
Read more »
Exclusive: Italy seeks delay to EU budget decision, awaiting tax data - sourcesItaly aims to convince the EU to delay until the autumn a decision on whether to...
Read more »
HuffPost is now a part of Oath
Read more »