Italy Closes Doors Of Europe In The Face Of Incoming “Harraga” Flocking Into Sardinia

The authorities in Sardinia closed the door of Europe and the Italian mainland in the face of the Algerian “harraga” or illegal migrants flocking into the island, as an agreement was reached between the local and central governments to set up reception centers for the Algerian undocumented migrants present on the island and to cancel usual travel documents for the benefit of the latter.

According to local media sources in the island of Sardinia, the agreement was reached in the presence of officials of the provinces of the island and representatives of the security services, and provided for the establishment of centers to shelter all the “Harraga” and asylum seekers.

Sardinia’s President Francesco Belliaro said after the signing of the agreement that these new measures would organize the reception centers for illegal immigrants and stressed that the organization of the centers would automatically nullify the flow of Algerian “harraga” into the island of Sardinia.

The Italian official also underlined that anyone who came to the island’s coast illegally should know that, from now onwards, it is no longer possible to get the exit or departure paper known as “il fuglio di via e andare”, allowing the latter to leave Sardinia for the Italian mainland as he pleases.

“Those who come on the island of Sardinia illegally must know that they will be held in a place designated for accommodation and from which they will be deported to their home country,” he underscored to this effect.

As a first step, it was decided to turn Makomar prison into a detention center for illegal Algerian migrants present in the island, before considering their early return to their own country.

According to politicians and officials in the same island, the Algerian “Harraga” have been up to now extended the relevant departure or exit paper and headed directly to the Italian mainland via a ship journey, and specifically to the port of Civitavecchia near Rome, from which they scatter on Italian soil or leave for other European countries.

According to politicians on the island of Sardinia, it is this procedure and this travel paper that stimulated the endless flow of undocumented migrants onto the island of Sardinia, which is used only as an entry into the Italian mainland and from there into Europe.