Brussels will check whether Italy's new decree raising fines for migrant rescue ships complies with EU laws, the spokesperson of the European Commission for humanitarian aid and civil protection said Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2019) Brussels will check whether Italy's new decree raising fines for migrant rescue ships complies with EU laws, the spokesperson of the European Commission for humanitarian aid and civil protection said Tuesday.
On Monday, the Italian government won a confidence vote in the country's upper house of the parliament on a decree that increased maximum penalties for migrant rescue ships if they enter Italy's territorial waters unauthorized to 1 million Euros ($1.1 million).
"Of course, we have seen this, and what we can say at this stage is that the commission will analyze the law, the decree ... as adopted by the Italian parliament, and we will verify its compatibility with EU law," Carlos Martin Ruiz de Gordejuela told reporters.
Italy's government that came to power last year has adopted a tough stance on migrant influx. Italy, which serves as the country of first arrival to the European Union for many undocumented migrants who cross the Mediterranean Sea, has repeatedly closed its ports to charity vessels that rescue migrants at sea.
