Finland Invites EU Interior Ministers To Discuss Mediterranean Migrant Crisis On Wednesday

Sumaira FH Published July 15, 2019 | 10:50 PM

Finland, which presides over the EU Council, has invited EU interior ministers to discuss the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean over an informal working lunch on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th July, 2019) Finland, which presides over the EU Council, has invited EU interior ministers to discuss the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean over an informal working lunch on Wednesday.

"It is obvious that the situation in the Mediterranean requires our immediate attention," Finnish Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo was quoted as saying in a press release.

The lunch in Helsinki is planned as an overture to a two-day informal meeting of EU interior and justice ministers, which begins Thursday.

It will focus the future of EU internal security and migration policy.

On migration, Ohisalo said that instead of ad hoc efforts to relieve the pressure on frontline member states, "robust arrangements" must be made to respond swiftly to migrants coming ashore.

Italy closed its ports to migrant rescue ships last year but two ships packed with dozens of migrants picked up off Libya made it to Lampedusa earlier this month despite the ban. There have been calls in Germany to share out those rescued in the Mediterranean.