European states must help fund legal immigration to end "unmanaged migrant flows" and "deadly boat journeys" from North Africa organised by "criminal gangs", Italy's interior minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday during a visit to Libya.
"Europe must give financial support to legal immigration programmes and oppose unmanaged migrant flows," Salvini said during a visit to a refugee protection centre due to be opened in Tripoli.
"The only real way to fight the people trafficking gangs and prevent deadly sea voyages is to stop these boats from setting sail," said Salvini, who leads the anti-migrant League party.