Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte convened talks Thursday in Rome on the hot-button issue of migration with interior minister Luciana Lamorgese, foreign minister Luigi Di Maio, defence minister Lorenzo Guerini, transport minister Paola De Micheli, and culture minister Dario Franceschini.
Italy's authorities did not grant permission to enter its territory to the two NGO ships that have sought a safe port since the new left-leaning government took office last week. But the new Conte government has signalled it may soften some of the hardline measures of former interior minister and far-right League party leader, Matteo Salvini.
The Alan Kurdi, operated by the German NGO Sea-Eye earlier this week disembarked in Malta five migrants who were stranded at sea for ten days after they were rescued on 31 August. A further eight rescued migrants were earlier allowed ashore in Malta for medical reasons.
Meanwhile the Norwegian-flagged Ocean Viking, operated by the French charities SOS Mediterranée and Doctors Without Borders, has saved a total of 84 people since Sunday, and is still awaiting a safe port.
Under current Italian law, NGOs whose ships which enter Italian waters without permission face sanctions including fines of up to a million euros and the confiscation of the vessel, as well as criminal probes.
