A Council of Europe delegation is visiting Sicily, with stops in Lampedusa and Catania, to meet local officials, NGOs, and law enforcement. They will visit key migrant centers, including facilities for unaccompanied minors, as part of their mission to assess the situation at Europe's southern border.
Members of the Parliamentary Assembly's Commission for Migration, Refugees, and Displaced Persons of the Council of Europe arrived in Sicily on Monday, September 16. Their visit includes stops in Lampedusa on Tuesday and Catania on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, they will visit the FAMI center for the initial reception of minors. The delegation includes Commission president Paul Gavan (Ireland, Unified European Left), Birgir Thórarinsson (Iceland, EPP), Nađa Laković (Montenegro, ALDE), Paulo Pisco (Portugal, Socialists, Democrats and Greens), Marco Scurria (Italy, European Conservatives and Democratic Alliance), and Sandra Zampa (Socialists, Democrats and Greens).
Meetings in Lampedusa
The commission's delegates on Lampedusa met with local representatives of institutions (the air force, the police chief and prefect of Agrigento, leading members of the Carabinieri, finance police and coast guards, EU border agency Frontex and the European Union Agency for Asylum, of the main NGOs active in the area, local administrators and communities).
On Tuesday afternoon, the delegation heads to Catania to meet with Prefect Maria Carmela Librizzi and Juvenile Court President Roberto Di Bella.
Wednesday Agenda
Wednesday's itinerary includes a visit to the migrant hotspot in Pozzallo, followed by a return to Catania for a 5 pm visit to the FAMI center.
The Parliamentary Assembly comprises 306 representatives from the 46 member states of the Council of Europe, a leading human rights organization in Europe.