The Italian Ministry of the Interior has released statistics showing that since October 2022, German humanitarian organizations have brought approximately 22,500 migrants to Italian ports. In total, private rescue vessels have disembarked nearly 42,300 people in Italy during this period, with nearly two-thirds arriving on ships flying the German flag or operated by German NGOs.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has demanded financial compensation from Germany for hosting these migrants. He stated that the issue of cost-sharing must be resolved before Italy agrees to take back individuals who applied for asylum in Germany after initially entering the EU through Italian territory. Currently, a dispute has arisen between the two nations over Berlin's attempt to return three such migrants to Italy.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has criticized the operations of private rescue groups, calling on Berlin and Madrid to restrict their activities. Conversely, humanitarian organizations emphasize the extreme dangers of the Mediterranean route, where, according to the International Organization for Migration, at least 872 people have died or gone missing since the beginning of the year.
