Italian President Sergio Mattarella stated today, Friday, that the European Union should allow more migrants to enter its member states legally to stop human trafficking, as the number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea increases. Mattarella said at a conference of the Catholic group Communion and Liberation in Rimini, "We must address the phenomenon of migration, and we are aware of its reality as a global movement that cannot be eliminated by walls and barriers." He added, "Sustainable and sufficiently high regular numbers are the only way to eliminate the brutal trafficking of human beings, as the possibility and hope to come without brutal costs and suffering will convince migrants to wait for their turns." Mattarella mentioned that actions should be taken at the EU level. Migration has long been a politically contentious issue within the EU, hindering joint decisions among its 27 member states.
The Meloni government partially acted on Mattarella's advice, stating in July that it would increase the number of work permits for non-EU workers to 452,000 between 2023 and 2025. However, this number is less than the 833,000 proposed by businesses and unions. The number of migrants from North Africa to Italy has more than doubled year-on-year, reaching 160,000, despite the right-wing government's efforts under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to suppress illegal immigration and impose restrictions on the interventions of charity rescue ships.
