.- Italy warned it faces a humanitarian crisis with the arrival of 600 thousand Tunisian immigrants in the past two weeks due to political turmoil afflicting the North African country. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni of the Northern League party, a supporter of limiting immigration, said on Friday it asked the European Union to take charge of the matter at its next meeting, as the crisis of Tunisia and Egypt affect policy European immigration and internal security of the continent.
Maroni said the fear that terrorists Tunisia are among those who fled during the month of protests that forced the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia on 14 January. ''There is a real risk of humanitarian emergency and valid,''said the minister. The UN agency for refugees said that since January 16 about 600 thousand Tunisians arrived in Italy, mostly on the island of Lampedusa, closer to the African coast to Italy.
Half came in the final days. The figures were an anomaly due to the reduced flow of illegal immigrants after the agreement signed in 2008 by Italy to Libya to return to those arriving without asking if they want political asylum. The UN High Commission for Refugees condemned the policy as a violation of the rights of those affected to flee oppression, war and humanitarian crisis.
However, this policy has reduced the number of illegal immigrants in Italy: In 2008 before the effective date, some 36 thousand immigrants arrived in Italy illegally by sea in 2009 that number had fallen to nine thousand 500, and the 2010 four thousand 300, according to the UN agency. Maroni said Friday that the increase in the arrival of Tunisia is due to political turmoil since the bilateral agreement on the emigration control is accomplished by Tunisia.
He said he contacted with the EU because Italy alone can not with that flow. 
Maroni said the fear that terrorists Tunisia are among those who fled during the month of protests that forced the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia on 14 January. ''There is a real risk of humanitarian emergency and valid,''said the minister. The UN agency for refugees said that since January 16 about 600 thousand Tunisians arrived in Italy, mostly on the island of Lampedusa, closer to the African coast to Italy.
Half came in the final days. The figures were an anomaly due to the reduced flow of illegal immigrants after the agreement signed in 2008 by Italy to Libya to return to those arriving without asking if they want political asylum. The UN High Commission for Refugees condemned the policy as a violation of the rights of those affected to flee oppression, war and humanitarian crisis.
However, this policy has reduced the number of illegal immigrants in Italy: In 2008 before the effective date, some 36 thousand immigrants arrived in Italy illegally by sea in 2009 that number had fallen to nine thousand 500, and the 2010 four thousand 300, according to the UN agency. Maroni said Friday that the increase in the arrival of Tunisia is due to political turmoil since the bilateral agreement on the emigration control is accomplished by Tunisia.
He said he contacted with the EU because Italy alone can not with that flow.
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