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Johan Leman, 12 June 2020

May 2.  Malta refuses to let 57 migrants go ashore. First, it wants an EU-deal arranging the resettlement of those 57 migrants among the member states. Malta also points to the shortage of reception capacity. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-malta/malta-refuses-to-let-migrant-ship-dock-awaits-eu-deal-idUSKBN22D5ES . Malta is suspected of deploying 3 private fishing trawlers to return by force intercepted asylum seekers to Libya since April 14. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/world/europe/migrants-malta.html  See also: http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/cronaca/2020/05/06/migranti-alarm-phone-46-in-pericolo-su-un-gommone_ca87ae41-6801-430b-a2d0-07eb3195df5b.html

May 5: In one day, 150 migrants/refugees arrive in Lampedusa,  spread over 4 boats. After medical examination they are quarantined for 2 weeks and then transferred to another reception centre. 3.365 migrants have arrived in Italy between 1 January and 28 April 2020 : mainly Bangladeshi, Ivorians, Sudanese, Algerians and Moroccans.  Among them: 587 unaccompanied minors. http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/it/notizie/regioni/sicilia/2020/05/05/migranti-quattro-sbarchi-in-poche-ore-a-lampedusa_847cd881-10c9-4496-80c9-ee70e35a5150.html

May 6. In Italy there is a debate within the government on the granting of temporary residence permits to irregularly staying migrants at work ( especially in agriculture).  Period for  introduction of regularisation files: June 1 – July 15.  https://www.corriere.it/politica/20_maggio_07/migranti-trattativa-governo-via-libera-ma-m5s-vuole-permessi-brevi-8d62e082-8fe5-11ea-bb7f-d3d655d2211a.shtml

May 6. Alan Kurdi (under German flag) and Alta  Mari (under Spanish flag), two NGO-rescue vessels operating  on the Mediterranean Sea, are detained in the port of Palermo by the Italian coastguard after safety and ambient failures have been identified during inspection. Germany and Spain  are asked to have the defects repaired before both ships can go seaward again. https://palermo.gds.it/articoli/cronaca/2020/05/06/migranti-la-alan-kurdi-ormeggiata-a-palermo-sottoposta-a-fermo-amministrativo-85b1522c-2c51-4969-928e-163155056ff2/

May 7. Turkish coastguard rescues 26 asylum seekers (including women and children) in the Aegean Sea,  after being  pushed back to Turkish waters by the Greek Coast Guard. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkey/turkish-coast-guard-rescues-26-asylum-seekers-in-aegean/1833131

May 8. In protest of a lack of solidarity between EU member states in dealing  with irregularly arriving migrants, Malta is withdrawing from the EU Irini action that controls the. coastal region of Libya. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-libya/malta-pulls-out-of-new-eu-libya-sea-patrols-in-migration-row-idUSKBN22K1UT. Another element that may interfere in the attitude of Malta is the fact that there is a lot of weapons  trafficking by sea between Turkey (a close ally of Malta) and Tripoli. https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/europe/102306/eu_foreign_minister_plays_down_malta_deal_on_irini_withdrawal#.Xrud_MCYTGg. The relation between migration, Libyan war and coastal control has been object of a meeting between Italy and Libya. https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/bashaga-discusses-italian-ambassador-implications-aggression-against-tripoli

May 9. Belgium takes over 18, Luxembourg 12 and Portugal 60 unaccompanied minor migrants from Greek camps. In total there are 5.200 such children in Greece. The EU wants to resettle 1.600 of them in EU member states. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-portugal-migrants/portugal-to-take-up-to-60-unaccompanied-migrant-children-from-greek-camps-idUSKBN22L0T7

May 9. In Trieste, 5 Afghans, including a minor, are detected by the police while checking a TIR from Serbia. They apply for international protection and are placed in a reception centre . https://ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/trieste/cronaca/2020/05/11/news/trieste-la-polizia-di-frontiera-trova-5-afghani-nascosti-in-un-tir-1.38831308

May 12.  In the Carso, the forest and hilly region with many natural shelters between Trieste and the border with Slovenia, 140 irregularly staying migrants have been found. They are quarantined. https://ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/trieste/cronaca/2020/05/12/news/altri-100-migranti-rintracciati-sul-carso-a-trieste-per-tutti-scatta-la-quarantena-1.38834495

May 13.  An agreement has been reached in the Italian government whereby irregularly staying migrants can be regularized through the regularization of their workplace including the concerned migrant. https://www.corriere.it/politica/20_maggio_13/coronavirus-dl-rilancio-governo-trova-l-accordo-notte-si-anche-migranti-colf-badanti-oggi-consiglio-ministri-055bbdc2-94c1-11ea-9026-0ed4807e0a45.shtml

May 20. In Porto Empedocle (Sicily) , a 28-year-old  Tunisian migrant wearing a lifebelt jumped from a quarantined ship, from a height of 15 meters and had drowned. http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/cronaca/2020/05/20/migranti-si-butta-in-mare-da-nave-quarantena-morto_f18728ac-256c-467d-b59d-27cfa0df9e21.html; Background : On April 7, the Italian government  has ruled that ports will not let migrant boats dock. Direct access for NGO ships not flying the Italian flag is banned. These ships have to  wait in quarantine for a while. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-italy-ports/italy-closes-ports-to-migrant-ships-because-of-coronavirus-idUSKBN21Q11C

May 23.  UNHCR and IOM are asking Malta and other European countries to disembark 160 asylum seekers fleeing Libya. They have already been hold at sea for 2 weeks aboard Maltese commercial boats of ‘Captain Morgan’. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/un-urges-eu-member-states-to-disembark-rescued-migrants/1849533

May 23.  Lockdown in the Greek refugee camps until June 7. http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/it/notizie/rubriche/cronaca/2020/05/22/coronavirusin-grecia-lockdown-in-campi-migranti-fino-al-76_485849a1-81bd-4143-b771-250573531e1c.html?idPhoto=1

May 24.  A ship that gets close to the Sicilian coast drops 70 migrants into the sea , they come ashore and find their way in groups. https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/monde/europe/400-migrants-debarquent-sur-une-plage-sicilienne-en-italie-et-prennent-la-fuite_2126656.html

May 24.  A boat with 20 refugees capsizes on the Tunisian coast : 1 dead and 6 missing . https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/05/24/One-dies-as-migrant-boat-capsizes-off-Tunisia-cost

May 25.  Libya’s coastguard has stopped 387 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean and transfers them to  a detention center in Tripoli. In May, up till now,  1000 refugees already attempted the crossing into Europe. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-migrants/libya-stops-nearly-400-migrants-attempting-to-cross-to-europe-iom-idUSKBN2311R6

May 25.  Cyprus will deport 17 migrants suspected of  having links to terrorism. The men are currently being held in a migrant’s detention center, waiting for their expulsion. Details about their nationalities and   groups with which they may be linked, were not disclosed. https://apnews.com/fd68ffed5fef1c5cdf5931ee91cb6899

May 27.  Investigation into Essex’s drama where 39 Vietnamese were found dead in a refrigerator truck leads to the arrest of 13 people in Brussels ( 11 Vietnamese and 2 Moroccans because a number of Vietnamese had stayed in safe houses) and 13 in France ( because of safe houses and transport ). The investigation is coordinated by Eurojust and involves cooperation between Belgium, France, the UK and Ireland. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/may/27/essex-lorry-deaths-26-arrested-in-france-and-belgiumv ; https://www.bruzz.be/justitie/onderzoek-naar-39-dode-migranten-essex-legt-brussels-smokkelnetwerk-bloot-2020-05-27

May 27.  90 migrants were brought  back to Libya in 1 day after spending 2 nights on board of a Portuguese flagged ship. May 23-24, 400 migrants attempted to leave Tripoli for Europe. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-migration/migrants-stuck-on-merchant-ship-disembark-in-libya-iom-idUSKBN23332B

May 27.  The Armed Forces of Malta has rescued 75 migrants and a fourth tourist vessel was rented to keep them outside Maltese territorial waters. Since early May, Malta has already placed 350 migrants on 4 tourist boats. 27 women and children were allowed to go ashore. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/28/c_139095959.htm

May 28.  Libya ( Tripoli ) and Malta sign a protocol of agreement . 2 important items : illegal immigration and the EU operation Irini ( which poses problems both for Malta, ally of Turkey, and for Tripoli). ). https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/libya-malta-ink-anti-illegal-immigration-mou

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