Italy’s conservative government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday approved a migration bill aimed at tightening the response to illegal immigration, including what the government described as a “naval blockade” for migrant ships trying to reach Italian shores, the Associated Press reported.
The cabinet’s late-afternoon decision gives the bill the first step toward becoming law, but it still has to move through the legislative process. After the government’s approval, the bill needs to be discussed and adopted in both chambers of parliament before it can become effective.
Under the proposal, Italian authorities would get new legal tools to block ships from entering Italian territorial waters “under certain conditions.” In particular, the bill would allow authorities to ban a ship’s crossing into Italian waters for up to 30 days where the migrant ship poses “serious threats to public order or national security,” including the bill’s cited examples of “terrorist acts” or “terrorist infiltration.”
The measures also include the ability to extend the blockade. According to the text described by AP, the period for the naval blockade could be extended up to a maximum of six months.
The bill would also permit authorities to stop ships from entering Italian waters in the event of what it describes as a drastic influx of migrants that could jeopardize “secure management of borders.” Alongside those controls, the package includes stricter surveillance at Italy’s borders and cooperation with European agencies, AP reported.
The proposal lays out consequences for violations as well. Those violating the rules would face fines of up to 50,000 euros, and the bill would provide for the confiscation of boats in cases of repeated breaches—an approach that appears intended, AP said, to target humanitarian rescue ships.
AP also reported that the bill addresses what happens to migrants intercepted under the new rules. It says the intercepted migrants could be “transported to third countries other than their country of origin” under agreements with those countries that Italy has entered into.
The bill’s approach also ties into Italy’s plans to revive offshore processing arrangements. Under the stated rules, the Meloni government aims to restart offshore processing hubs similar to two controversial centers established in Albania that, AP said, have been substantially inactive for about two years due to legal hurdles. AP reported that the Albania centers have faced ongoing debate over legality and effectiveness, along with strong opposition from humanitarian groups.
The decision also comes after European lawmakers on Tuesday approved new immigration policies tied to the EU’s migration and asylum framework. In that context, Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, hailed the European Parliament’s confirmation of the bloc’s list of “safe countries,” saying it “proves Italy right,” AP reported.