There are now over 430 unaccompanied migrant minors in Florence, according to the town council. That's half the minors present in the entire region of Tunscany, it said.

"We in Florence have a powder keg sort of situation with regards to the figures. ... The appeal that we have made is to get the possibility to have these migrants hosted in as much of a spread-out manner as possible in the region itself," said Sara Funaro, the education councillor of the Florence town council, on May 8 during a press conference at the prefect's office on migrant management.

Taking part were also the commissioner for the migrant emergency, Valerio Valenti, Florence prefect Francesca Ferrandino, Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani, and the head of the Tuscany branch of ANCI who is also tasked with immigration issues, Matteo Biffoni.

'Critical situation, waiting for government response'

"Some 4 or 5 more [unaccompanied migrant] minors arrive every night. There is a need to invest in the SAI system. This concerns not only minors but also adults. I am very much against the proposal to limit access to the SAI, for example for asylum seekers," Funaro said.

"We are speaking about minors that are adolescents, and thus in an extremely delicate phase, and complicated minors, for whom those working in the sector put forth immense efforts. There is the need to invest in a much more substantial manner in the SAI system. It is the only structured route that there is to create inclusion and opportunities," he continued.

Councillor Funaro noted that "the situation remains extremely critical. We have stated in a very clear manner that we hope to receive responses from the government. As concerns the reception system, it is clear that there is a great deal of suffering. ... (t)he issue of migrants is not resolved by reducing special permits, excluding asylum seeker from the SAI."

Polemics over repatriation centers in Tuscany

The issue of a migrant repatriation center in Tuscany was not on the agenda of the meeting and is an issue that divides the central and regional government.

"Nonetheless, I think that a repatriation center will at some point be created in Tuscany as well, since this is the position taken by the current government, and on this there are regulations inside the immigration law decree," Commissioner Valenti said, adding: "I have not understood well what the conditions are that the Tuscany regional government has set down, since we have put on the plate a wideranging openness in regards to possible proposals, both in the way in which the hosting over the territory will happen and in the type of facilities, but we have not yet received any indications on this."

Regional president Giani confirmed that his government is against creating a repatriation center, underscoring that "Tuscany can be a leading region as concerns reception and integration", reiterating the need for "preventative consultative work. However, on this issue it would be good for all regional governments to move forward in unison."