The Pope today asked “not to close the doors” to immigrants, in a context of dispute between the Government and the Italian Court over the country’s migration externalization pact with Albania.
The Pope today asked “not to close the doors” to immigrants, in a context of dispute between the Government and the Italian Court over the country’s migration externalization pact with Albania.
“We cannot close the doors to immigrants. The migrant must be welcomed, accompanied, encouraged and integrated,” Francis declares in a short video message for the national conference of the Italian Catholic Action movement, according to the official Vatican news portal, Vatican News.
“Feeding them is the mandate of Jesus that involves us all, giving them a hand to accompany them” and “so that they do not fall,” added Francis, who in his pontificate has reiterated the defense of the reception and integration of immigrants.
According to the Pope, “in the Old Testament three types of people in need are continually mentioned: the widow, the sick and immigrants.”
Francis’ statements come at a time of commotion between the Italian Government and Justice, after a decision by a court in Rome contradicted a decision by the executive of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The court invalidated the detention of 12 immigrants in centers created by Italy in Albania, within the framework of an immigration subcontracting agreement, and ordered their return to the country.
The migrants moved by Rome come from Bangladesh and Egypt, countries that the court ruled could not be considered safe. According to Italian public television RAI, the migrants were taken this morning from the Albanian Gjadër detention center and taken to Italy to be transported to an asylum seeker center in the Bari city area.
The Italian government has already announced that it will appeal the court decision and that it will continue with the plan to transfer immigrants to Albania. He also announced that he wants to approve a decree-law on Monday that will come into force the next day, to avoid the implications of the court decision.
The Italian news agency Ansa reported that the decree-law is expected to modify the rule that designates the level of security in the countries of origin of migrants arriving in Italy, to ensure that this does not represent an obstacle to their transfer under of the agreement with Tirana. .
Source: Observadora
