"Under international law, there is a moral and legal obligation to rescue individuals at sea." This was stated yesterday by a spokesman for the European Commission about the NGO ships. Overall, 505 migrants have been disembarked in the last few hours, but 572 are still on board of four ships, two stopped in the port (Humanity 1 and the Geo Barents, from which fragile, women and children were disembarked yesterday) and two others off the coast of Catania (Ocean Viking and Rise Above). Concerning the "selective" disembarkation done by the Italian authorities (for which the NGO SOS Humanity has declared legal action), the EU executive emphasizes that "we must reduce the period that individuals stay at sea." Similar is the idea reaffirmed by Berlin, which is part of the cause since the ship Humanity 1 flies the German flag: the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, in fact, underline that maritime rescue is a "moral and legal obligation that cannot be avoided." Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praises the Italian government's immigration policy: "Finally! Giorgia Meloni and the new Italian administration deserve our gratitude for defending Europe's borders. Giorgia, thank you".
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