The number of people rescued at sea by Italy in 2014 is high but not unexpected. In light of the situation at Europe's doorstep, the Syrian crisis and the instability of many countries in North Africa, it would have been far from impossible to foresee an increase of migrants' and asylum seekers' arrivals. This is confirmed by Frontex risk analysis on the third trimester, i.e. summer 2013, according to which the number of arrivals by sea was increasing.
The Italian
response to the - doubtless complex - situation of irregular migration by sea ,
has always been scattered and contradictory; partially commendable (including
the great effort in rescuing lives at sea) and partially not (thinking, inter
alia, of the push-backs to Libya) but consistently characterised by an
unjustifiable element of emergency.
Italy, for its
geographical position and closeness to very unstable areas, and for the nature
of its borders, is a natural (if only often temporary) destination for a high
number of people fleeing from violence and persecutions, searching peace and
protection. Thinking of stopping these movements of historical proportions with
legislative acts is simply unrealistic.
