France suspends plan to welcome 3,500 refugees currently in Italy: Interior Minister
France will suspend plan to welcome 3,500 refugees currently in Italy
France will suspend the plan to welcome 3,500 refugees currently in Italy after Rome's refusal to let a charity ship disembark 234 migrants rescued at sea, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Thursday.
"It's clear that there will be extremely severe consequences for our bilateral relations," Darmanin said in announcing that France would let the Ocean Viking ship into the Mediterranean port of Toulon, urging Germany and other EU nations to suspend a migrant relocation accord.
France has agreed to evacuate only four passengers out of more than 200 passengers onboard the Ocean Viking rescue ship. Citing health reasons, following the tense exchanges with Italy on which country should allow the boat to dock, France has finally taken a decision over the issue.
ALSO READ|Tensions mount between France and Italy over migrant rescue ship
The decision was announced by the maritime agency directed by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Thursday. It came after the SOS Mediterranee charity that operates the ship requested the evacuations because of Italy's refusal to offer port access.
Gerald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, said authorities had invited the vessel to dock at the port in Toulon, in southern France. But he also mentioned thathis country would suspend the plan to welcome3,500 refugees currently in Italy after Rome’s refusal to let the Ocean Viking ship to dock.
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What are the health issues?
A spokeswoman for the charity told the AFP news agency that one of the passengers on board was “unstable” and had not reacted to treatment since October 27.
“Two others were injured in Libya and because of this long wait for treatment, they risk having long-term health issues,” she said.
The Ocean Viking has been at sea for more than two weeks since its first rescue in the central Mediterranean and headed to France following Rome’s repeated refusal to let it dock.Immigration is a much-debated issue between both the countries and France on Wednesday said the Italian government’s refusal to let the boat disembark was “unacceptable”.
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