Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has said hotspots for asylum seekers trying to enter Europe should be in southern Libya rather than Italy. However, Libyan Deputy Premier Ahmed Maiteeq ruled out the prospect of the North African country hosting camps for asylum-seekers, saying it was against Libyan law.
Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday that hotspots for asylum seekers trying to enter Europe should be in the south of Libya, rather than in Italy. ''Reception hotspots in Italy? It would be a problem for Italy and for Libya itself because the death fluxes would not stop,'' Salvini, who is on a visit to Tripoli, said on Twitter. "We have proposed reception centers situated at the southern border of Libya to prevent Tripoli becoming a bottleneck."
Libyan deputy premier says no to hotspots in Libya
Libyan Deputy Premier Ahmed Maiteeq, however, ruled out the prospect of the North African country hosting camps for asylum-seekers. ''We categorically reject (the idea of) camps for migrants in Libya,'' Maiteeq told a joint press conference. ''It is not allowed by Libyan law."
Salvini announces migrant conference in Libya in September
Salvini announced during the visit that a conference on the issue of migration will be held in Libya in September. ''We'll be the promoters in Europe for this conference to be held in Libya because the problems must be addressed and resolved in Libya, not in other European capitals,'' Salvini said.
The meeting in Tripoli on Monday was also attended by Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Perrone. ''I cared in particular, as a deputy premier, to carry out in Libya the first visit of friendship between the two governments and the two countries,'' Salvini said.