The government will complete the readmission process of undocumented Bangladeshi migrants in Italy through fruitful discussion and negotiation with the European Union (EU), officials said.
They said the process will be completed under a proper policy guideline for ensuring it’s transparently.
“The issue will be settled through better understanding and cooperation with the EU,” a senior foreign ministry official told The New Nation yesterday, asking not to be named.
He said, “Bangladesh has already initiated a comprehensive dialogue with the EU on the issue. Both the sides have agreed to framing a specific readmission policy to ultimately ensure transparency of the process and European Comission’s (EC’s) legitimacy.”
The EC is an institution of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing its the day-to-day business.
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the EC, on Tuesday threatened to impose visa restrictions for Bangladeshi travelers to Europe unless the country speeds up the readmission of illegal immigrants from Italy.
When asked, the foreign ministry official said, “Speed up the process depends on early and fruitful negotiation between Bangladesh and the EU”.
More than 93,000 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea this year, a 6 per cent increase over the same period in 2016. The top three nationalities of migrants disembarking in Italy are Nigeria, Bangladesh and Guinea, according to media reports.
Juncker, in a letter to Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s prime minister, on Tuesday said visa policy could be used as a bargaining chip with Dhaka. “We will intensify our efforts to reach an effective arrangement with Bangladesh to speed up the readmission of migrants irregularly present in Italy, including by proposing to the Council the use of visa leverage, if appropriate,”
Juncker also said that the EC was setting up a special “contact team” in Brussels to coordinate with Italian authorities to deal with the migrant crisis in Italy.
He promised an extra 100 million euros ($116 million) in funding to Italian prime minister to deal with the migrant issue.
“We would like to reaffirm the Commission’s determination to stand by Italy in these challenging times and respond promptly to any solidarity requests that the Government may formulate in the weeks to come,” Juncker said.
He added, “The extra €100m in funding, on top of nearly €800m already pledged, is intended to help Italy host the migrants and process asylum applications in a timely way. The EU also offered extra help in managing returns of immigrants selected for deportation, which has been a big logistical and legal struggle for Italy”.
