“We welcome the ship, but we stop the agreements with Italy.”

The French Interior Minister, Gerald Darmarin, announced that France will “exceptionally” welcome the Ocean Viking ship of the non-governmental organization Souss Mediterranee with 234 migrants on board, which will arrive tomorrow in Toulon, after it was rejected by Italy. Darmarin added that a third of the passengers would be “transferred” to France, denouncing the “incomprehensible choice” of Italy, according to Adnkronos.

Stop the deal with Italy

In the face of this “unacceptable behaviour”, France has stopped accepting 3,500 refugees currently in Italy.

summit in europe

And after the Italian decision on the Ocean Viking, Paris announced discussions at the European level: “France – says Darmanin – will organize in the coming days, with the European Commission, and with Germany, a meeting that will define – in full compliance with international rules of law – a framework that will make it possible to draw conclusions Italian position, for the better organization of rescue operations at sea by NGO ships in the Mediterranean.

France closes its borders

Among the retaliatory measures against Italy for not welcoming the Ocean Viking, France will take measures to “strengthen border controls” with Italy: this was announced by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, adding that France would “draw all the consequences” from the Italian position also from other aspects of “bilateral relations” ” Between the two countries.

‘Agreements to be honored’

“There are rules in Europe that we must also know how to respect”: France’s Minister of Labor, Olivier Dusupt, in an interview this morning by Radio Sud, answered a question about the Ocean Viking case. “The rule in Europe is solidarity and the rule of solidarity says that the country with the nearest port should welcome the ship, in this case Italy,” Dusupet said, adding that “Italy has benefited from European solidarity: it can’t. Be one-way. “.

Another French source explains the mood in Paris: “We understand that a leader must speak to his people and use certain tones, but international diplomatic relations do not work that way.”

While the diplomatic clash between Italy and France continues, 4 immigrants had to disembark from the Ocean Viking for health reasons. There are three patients and a companion. On board the humanitarian ship, which is located off the coast of Corsica, 234 people were rescued in six different operations in the central Mediterranean who were rescued between 22 and 26 October. Among them are 14 women and 57 minors: 43 have experienced crossing the Mediterranean alone. The youngest outcast is only 3 years old.