The stoppage of grain deliveries in the areas of the war in Ukraine has already increased the migration flow, and the possible humanitarian crisis could create a serious migration crisis, stated the Italian Minister of the Interior, Luciana Lamorgese.

Lamorgese emphasized that the Roman government is "concerned about the serious situation in African countries, as Tunisia and Egypt, among others, which receive fifty percent of their grain and wheat imports from Ukraine and Russia, are already experiencing difficulties."

If it is not possible to find a solution to the grain crisis, it could lead to "a very serious humanitarian crisis and, of course, we are already seeing that it affects migration, the rate of which is gradually increasing", said the head of the Ministry of the Interior, who spoke at the congress of the CISL trade union federation in Rome up.  

He added that the issue of migration affects the whole of Europe, but as a first step, the interior ministers of the countries along the Mediterranean Sea will consult with each other on June 3 and 4 at the meeting planned in Venice.

Lamorgese reminded that Prime Minister Mario Draghi discussed this very matter on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

Rome is trying to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, among other things, in order to lift the blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea.  

If it is not possible to start the shipments of grain and food in Ukrainian ports, it will have "gigantic consequences, global in scale and horrible", declared the Italian Prime Minister.

He noted that he initiated the re-opening of the ports in order to avoid "the humanitarian crisis affecting the world's poorest countries".

Since the first of January, more than 18,000 people have landed on Italian shores, compared to less than 14,000 in the same period last year.

The last group, 126 people, arrived at the port of Pozzallo in Sicily on Friday morning: they started from Tobruk in Libya, and when they reached Italian waters, the coast guard rushed to their aid.

Another 296 people are on board the Ocean Viking civil ship, which is kept afloat by the migrant aid organization SOS Mediterranée. The ship requested a mooring permit from Italy.

Source: MTI
Featured image: MTI/EPA/ANSA/Francesco Ruta