Silvio Berlusconi to give visas to north African refugees so they can come to UK
BRITAIN could be inundated with migrants fleeing north Africa after Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi announced plans to give refugees permits to live anywhere in the EU.
The permits would officially give the deluge of refugees who have poured ashore in Italy only the right to travel within the ‘Schengen’ countries such as France, Germany and Holland. They, unlike Britain, do not have border controls.
But campaigners fear the move will make it easy for migrants from strife-torn Tunisia and Libya to cross into the UK. Ukip MEP Gerard Batten said: “The problem here is the European borderless state.
“Obviously these people are going to gravitate to those countries with the best welfare and housing like the UK. There is a human crisis, but this approach would make things permanent, rather than encourage people to return home when peace in Libya and the whole of north Africa finally returns.”
Alp Mehmet of campaign group MigrationWatch said: “Given that we are devoting huge resources to making these countries in north Africa and the Middle East better places to live, the last thing we want is for the people to come over here. There is no reason to waive border controls because of this. What Italy does is a matter for Italy but if it results in there being an open-door policy in Europe, that’s totally wrong.”
Mr Berlusconi revealed his plans to grant EU residency to the migrants after the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa found itself inundated with more than 20,000 north Africans, mostly Tunisians but some Libyans and others, who have arrived in packed boats since unrest began in January.
Refugees have been ferried away from Lampedusa to holding centres around Italy but the flood has continued unabated and there are regular breakouts from the tented camps they stay in.
Mr Berlusconi met Tunisian President Foued Mbazza earlier this week and has offered Tunisa £70million to stem the tide but changed course and announced the plan to issue EU visas instead after France turned back refugees at the Italian border.
He said: “Repatriation is the main solution but many immigrants have expressed a desire to join family and friends in France, Germany and other countries.
“We could grant temporary permits to stay that would allow them to circulate freely in Europe.”
A spokesman for Europe’s Home Affairs commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, said yesterday: “Member states have the right to authorise the stay of whoever they want on their territory. If it is the wish of a member state, it is possible.”
Last year Colonel Gaddafi was accused of “extortion” after demanding £4.1billion a year from the EU to stop immigration “turning Europe black”.
