Rome outraged by German financial aid for sea rescuers Rome outraged by German financial aid for sea rescuers

In the dispute over German financial support for organizations that help boat migrants in Italy, the right-wing government in Rome is taking an increasingly tough tone against Berlin. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto spoke in the newspaper “La Stampa” (Sunday) about “very serious” behavior. “So Berlin is behaving as if it doesn’t know that it is causing problems for a country it is theoretically “friends” with. Crosetto belongs to the ultra-right largest government party, Fratelli d’Italia. There were also protests from the smaller coalition partner Lega.

Rome considers it as interference in internal Italian affairs that the federal government wants to support aid organizations that care for migrants on Italian soil. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out on Friday that this implements a decision of the Bundestag. The first money – between 400,000 and 800,000 euros each – is to be paid “soon” to a land-based supply project and a sea rescue project. One of the organizations is SOS Humanity.

The issue of migration and the work of private German aid organizations in the Mediterranean have long caused tensions between Rome and Berlin, even in times of previous governments. Meloni had announced tough measures during the election campaign to reduce the number of boat migrants arriving in Italy. More than 130,000 boat people have been registered since the beginning of the year, twice as many as in the same period in 2022. More than 10,000 arrived on the small island of Lampedusa this month alone. (cst/sda/dpa)