Minister of the Interior Orpo discussed EU migration situation with his Italian colleague
Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo and Italian Minister of Interior Angelino Alfano met in Rome on Tuesday 27 October. They discussed EU border management, the Italian reception system and the registration centres ('hotspots') to be established in Greece and Italy, with the focus on cooperation between EU member states and competent authorities.
Mr Orpo highlighted at the meeting that, in Finland’s view, all asylum seekers entering Italy should be registered. The 'hotspots' in Italy and Greece should be made fully operational. Finland has experience in successfully running the Tornio registration centre, and our model could be used in other countries as well.
- It is necessary to register asylum seekers at registration centres in order for the Dublin system – and eventually the Schengen system – to function, Mr Orpo said at the meeting.
According to Mr Alfano, Italy will bear its responsibility for the registration of asylum seekers and the operation of registration centres.
Italy is one of the Mediterranean countries which have faced migratory pressures for years now. Mr Orpo told his colleague that Finland fully understands the current pressure on the Mediterranean countries. Finland will do its best to support Italian efforts to manage the situation at the EU external border and is prepared to send an expert to the registration centre in Italy in November–December. We are also active in operations carried out by the EU Borders Agency (Frontex) and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to manage migration flows.
Minister of the Interior Orpo is visiting Italy and Malta on 27–29 October to discuss the implementation of the EU's relocation mechanism. Finland and Sweden were the first countries to receive asylym seekers relocated from Italy last week.
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This is an English translation of a press release originally issued in Finnish on Oct 27, 2015.