(AP) The head of the U.N. refugee agency on Friday said he has urged Italy not to unnecessarily impede NGOs that operate migrant rescue ships in the central Mediterranean, as warmer weather is expected to bring the usual seasonal uptick in the departure of smugglers’ boats from Libya.
Charity boats “fill an important void” in the absence of collective EU efforts, Filippo Grandi told reporters, a day after meeting with Italian Premier Mario Draghi and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. He met Friday with Pope Francis.
Charities that operate the boats complain that safety measures required by Italy are tantamount to blocking their operations.
“We need to find a balance,” Grandi said.
