Erstellt am: 8. 4. 2016 - 16:28 Uhr

The return of the Mediterranean route?

Mikl-Leitner in Rome for talks on controlling the Brenner Pass

APA/BUNDESMINISTERIUM FÜR INNERES

Austrian Interior Minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner and her Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano in Rome.

Austrian interior minister Johanna Mikl Leitner has been in Rome for talks with her Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano on her proposal to introduce very restrictive border controls on the Brenner Pass to stop any refugee flow north. Rome has already dismissed as ‘groundless’ Mikl Leitner’s suggestion that at least 300,000 refugees can be expected to arrive in Europe this year via the Mediterranean route from Libya. Extreme estimates say up to 800,000 people are already in Libya waiting to attempt the crossing. FM4 spoke to Carlotta Sami from the UN High Commission for Refugees in Italy, and ORF correspondent in Rome, Alexander Kofler, to ask whose estimates are realistic on likely refugee arrivals?

Sima says, the first very important thing is not to rely on speculation about possible arrivals, but to adapt to the developing situation. Arrivals in Italy increased in March but it’s not clear whether this trend will continue. But, she says, the closure of borders doesn’t help in any way.
There are different numbers circulating, says Kofler. But no one can really give an accurate prediction. At the moment refugees and migrants reaching Italy are mainly from African countries and they are making the journey from Libya with the aid of people smugglers. There are concerns that Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans could resort to this dangerous path to Europe again with the closing down of the Balkan route.

It is a fact that the UNHCR’S own figures show that the vast majority of people reaching Italy via the Mediterranean are from Africa. They’re not people escaping the war in Syria or the tragedies in Iraq - refugee groups that are being given priority, if they can reach Europe. For those from Africa, it is Mikl-Leitner’s view that it’s best to discourage them from making the risky journey to Europe since they really have little chance of asylum in Europe at the moment.

But the UNHCR’s Sima says that’s not a fair approach. She points out that over 50% of asylum claims lodged in Italy last year were accepted. And she says the most important point is that the right to asylum is an individual right. Every claim must be processed individually to assess whether the person has a right to asylum or not.
Italy’s position is complicated, says Kofler. It has managed the crisis in the open sea so far, saving many thousands of refugees from drowning, but has failed to respond adequately ashore. The authorities have for years tolerated the fact that refugees went into hiding and made their way to Central and Northern Europe. At present, approximately one hundred thousand refugees are accommodated in Italy, most of them in the economically weaker regions in the south. Under the influence of the xenophobic Lega Nord, the Northern Italian regions have so far refused to accept more refugees.

ORF

So looking at the political situation, the fact that within Italy itself there is resistance to distributing refugees fairly, and the similar situation EU wide, with many countries refusing to accept a quota system, at what point do you try to discourage people making the journey to Europe? Mikl-Leitner appears to believe Europe should be signalling to potential refugees and migrants - don’t even try getting here, the doors are closed.

Sima says this approach misconstrues who is in crisis. She says we have a refugee crisis - with 60 million people worldwide forced to leave their houses and their countries because of war, terror and violence. So this is first of all a crisis for refugees, and only in a secondary sense is it a crisis for Europe. She says Europe can manage a flow of a million people; it is large enough and wealthy enough to do so. And she says borders can be managed in a proper way while also protecting the rights of those who need to receive asylum. Closing the borders is not enough, she says. It is important to manage the borders. That is a bit more complex but brings more benefit.

AFP / ARIS MESSINIS

Children wrapped in blankets at the harbour as migrants and refugees arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos

Concern has already been expressed in Italy about the economic impact of tough border controls being put in place on the Brenner.

Kofler says officials in northern Italy have warned that it would be an ‘economic disaster’ for both countries if Austria blocks the free movement of persons and goods. He says Italy is Austria’s second largest trade partner next to Germany. Italian shipping companies are concerned that border controls cause up to 170 million Euros in extra costs per year.

And among the general populace in Italy, how do people view Austria’s policies like the initiative to close down the Balkan route and the restrictions on the number of asylum applications that will be accepted here each day?

Kofler says that on one hand there is a certain understanding for Austria's decision to close its borders. On the other hand, it creates concern. Italy cannot simply close its thousands of kilometers of maritime border. For years, many Italians have felt left alone with the refugee crisis by the rest of Europe. And this feeling is likely to be reinforced thanks to Vienna’s intention to install new border controls.

Meanwhile after the talks in Rome, Mikl-Leitner said both Italy and Austria want better cooperation with north African countries, and especially with Libya, to stop the migration flows across the Mediterranean. Italy is conducting talks with Libya, and Mikl-Leitner says the European Union pact with Turkey on refugees and migrants could be a model for a similar arrangement. Austria supports the Italian view that countries that refuse to take back asylum seekers who have been refused refuge in Europe should have their EU development aid cut.