200 hundred Tunisian immigrants out of the 27 000 who now are in Italy could be brought to Romania.

President Traian Băsescu phone called the Italian Prime-minister, Silvio Berlusconi, on Wednesday to express Romania’s solidarity with the humanitarian crisis which Italy is confronted with because of the wave of North African immigrants, according to a press release issued by the Rome Government.

The two officials had a friendly discussion about the situation of the immigrants who daily land on Sicily’s coasts.

President Traian Băsescu offered to shelter 200 hundred Tunisians to Romania out of solidarity with Italy.

According to the Italian Government’s press release, ‘the President of the Council of Ministers expressed his appreciation of this symbolic gesture, but also of the great friendship and European solidarity that the Romanian Government and people have shown.’

Romania is the first European Union country that offered to help Italy, by accepting clandestine people.

Although the Government of Rome has already issued residence permits that allow immigrants to travel throughout Europe, France, German and Belgium will not recognize the papers.

The Italian Home Affairs Minister, Roberto Maroni, accused the European Union earlier this week of lack of action concerning the crisis of the immigrants in Italy.

Italy accused EU of ’lack of solidarity’

Italy was disappointed after the meeting with the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JAI) held on Monday, during which they discussed the immigration problem.

The Minister of Home Affairs, Roberto Maroni, wonders whether it makes sense for ‘Italy to remain in EU’ and draws the conclusion that ‘it is better to go on alone than badly accompanied’.

’The reunion was disappointing’, Roberto Maroni stated, ‘and Italy gained no support’.

According to Roberto Maroni, ‘Europe is solidary only when it comes to saving banks, declaring war, but when it comes to concretely express solidarity with a country facing difficulties, like Italy, EU is hiding.’

The statements were made by the leader after having signed the final agreement of the meeting.

27 thousand of immigrants came to the Sicilian islands from the beginning of the year.


Translated by: Cătălina Virvescu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University