AYS Daily Digest 23/12/2019 People holding humanitarian protection to be left without accommodation by 31st December in Italy
159 people disembarked in Taranto// Police operation raiding hotspot in Samos// 28000 people on the move detected in BiH throughout 2019// Videos of horrible conditions in Velika Kladuša// Exploitation in Italian fields// 11 people found in refrigerator truck in Germany…
FEATURED: People holding humanitarian protection to be left without accommodation by 31st December in Italy
A security decree from the central service, which manages the reception for migrants in Italy, has essentially abolished ‘humanitarian protection’ and has told anyone with this level of protection that they will no longer have the right to reception. Their reception will end after the 31st of December. The ministry appear to be washing their hands of responsibility, passing on it on to the municipalities who must try to avoid putting people on the street in the new year. Here is what the ministry had to say:
“Initiatives have been launched to support municipalities in taking care of migrants through the financing of projects using Family funds. In particular, specific calls are expected to be made for Fami projects aimed at local authorities, to support them in managing the situation represented by the exit of the migrants in question from Siproimi.”
Yet of course this makes little difference because “Thousands of people (are at) risk ending up on the street in the middle of winter,” said Arci immigration manager Filippo Miraglia, to la Republica, last week. He added “We (are asking) the Municipalities to appeal.”
Miraglia goes further to say that this ruling does not make any sense because these local authorities have to rempved people from their accomodation after December 31st, and then will have to use “resources and structures already saturated by the social unease of the cities.”
“It is an intervention that does not take into account the recent ruling of the Cassation (n.29460 of 13 November 2019) which definitively certified the non-retroactivity of the law, which therefore cannot be applied to reception projects started before October 2018. We hope for a urgent government intervention to avert a crisis that would put people and local authorities, owners of the projects and beyond, in addition to the organizations that manage them on behalf of the municipalities, in serious difficulty.”
Miraglia and others are asking the municipalities to appeal because of this change in direction in applicable law regarding reception of migrants. Learn more here.
The 159 people on board of the Ocean Viking were disembarked today in Taranto, Puglia.
A big police operation raided Vathy camp in Samos this morning with the official purpose of identifying possible people involved in illegal activities and “preventing” potential offences from happening.
Authorities confiscated knives and other tools deemed too dangerous to be around the premises. Camp staff were also asked to stay at home today for secuiry reasons, due to the operation itself.
Athens
Khora social kitchen is open as usual on Christmas Day! Everyone welcome. We will have special delicious food and hot tea as usual, and a community welcome.
If you are able or interested, you are welcome to bring a dish of your favourite food to share on this special holiday.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
The Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (SFA) detected 1,900 arrivals to BiH in November. Over 28,000 arrivals have been detected in 2019, and over 52,000 since the start of 2018.
The estimated population of people on the move in BiH is 7,500, with 4,000 in centres. A third of those in centres are families with children, and 12 per cent (475) are unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).
In November, three people were granted refugee status in — this is the first instance of this in five years. In 2019 subsidiary protection has been granted to 36 people. A further 390 people with asylum status are waiting an interview or a decision and over 1,000 people are waiting for a registration interview.
Original post here.
A solar charging station was set up in Tuzla today by local volunteers…
CROATIA
Update on the incident occurred between Serbia and Croatia early this morning.
Unfortunately, two female bodies were found on the riverbank. At the moment, police is searching for bodies, not survivors. They were from Syria.
ITALY
In Catania, Sicily, two men were taken into custody after a police operation discovered that the two were exploiting labour and committing violence against some field workers, who were “employed” in their farm. Unfortunately this is just the latest story of exploitation of labour in Italian fields.
All of the 8 workers were forced to work in the fields for €2.50 per hour, €25 per day, one third of the minimum wage fixed by law. On average they worked for 11 hours a day, 6 days a week. Those who denounced were heavily insulted and threatened with layoffs. Needless to say, the workers lived in horrible hygienic conditions and were forced to share accommodation in a large warehouse-like building.
Similar stories are to be found all over the country. In Turin, two other criminals were arrested after authorities found they exploited and secluded factory workers, making them work for 15 hours a day, for €0.30 per hour, €5 a day! They had no days off and were constantly monitored by CCTV cameras.
GERMANY
Authorities rescued 11 people out of a refrigerated truck on the highway around Passau, at the border with Austria. They were already suffering from breathlessness and presenting other breathing difficulties. Apparently, they entered the truck in Serbia.
The group, aged between 14 and 31, was handed over to German authorities.
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