The passengers of the Ocean Viking will be sent to the four corners of the old continent. Nine European countries have pledged to welcome “two-thirds” of the 234 migrants collected by the humanitarian ship, which is due to dock in Toulon on Friday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on Thursday evening. Among these countries, Germany must accommodate “more than 80 people”, specified the minister on TF1.
Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Luxembourg and Ireland will also welcome migrants in the name of “European solidarity”, said Gérald Darmanin.
The ship is at the origin of a falling out between France and Italy, Rome having refused to welcome the passengers of the Ocean Viking as required by the European legislation in force. France finally agreed “on an exceptional basis” to let them disembark in Toulon on Friday and to welcome a third of them on its soil.
Some will be expelled
The refugees received are those who are “eligible for asylum”, added the Minister, repeating that “those who cannot obtain asylum will return directly to their countries of origin”. “Contacts are made with the countries concerned to proceed with the procedures” allowing “the expulsion of those who do not meet the conditions of asylum”, specified the entourage of the minister.
The passengers of the Ocean Viking are Bangladeshis, Eritreans, Syrians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Malians, Sudanese and Guineans, the same source listed. Denouncing once again the “inhumane” attitude of Italy, which refused to let the Ocean Viking dock, Gérald Darmanin affirmed that, by way of retaliation, “already 500 French police officers are at the Italian border to be able to better control our border.