Est. 2min 04-06-2008 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) berlusconi4.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has backtracked over a controversial bill that would make illegal immigration a criminal offence following heavy criticism from the United Nations, the Vatican and within the European Parliament. Two weeks after signing the draft law, Berlusconi appears to be having second thoughts, and is now making a distinction between the illegal presence of foreigners and their eventual criminal behaviour. “Personally, I don’t think you can prosecute someone for their illegal presence in our country, but their status should be considered an aggravating circumstance if they commit a crime,” he said, quoted by Euronews. But Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said he was surprised by his Prime Minister’s statement. “The law is already in force, it considers illegal migration a crime, it has been approved two weeks ago by the Government with unanimity and bears Berlusconi’s signature,” Maroni said, quoted by RAI. He added that he was not going to change his personal opinion over the need to criminalise foreigners’ illegal stays. The act of the Italian Government represents an “immediately applicable law” which is already in force, but needs to be endorsed by the Parliament within 60 days. A conflict between Romania and Italy over the crackdown on Roma camps on the peninsula prompted a heated debate in the European Parliament (EURACTIV 20/05/08) In the Romanian capital Bucharest, people from the Roma community yesterday gathered outside the Italian embassy, protesting against the situation of Roma people in Italy. Read more with Euractiv Interview: Italy's handling of Roma ‘clearly fascist’In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, Romanian Socialist MEP Adrian Severin hits out at Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni for calling for the immediate dismantling of Roma camps and the arrest of their inhabitants. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters PositionsA representative of the French Presidency told EURACTIV that the issue of the controversial Italian legal act could well be discussed at tomorrow's Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg. "We all have an interest in having as close positions as possible on immigration," he added. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini shrugged off criticisms that the draft legislation makes illegal immigration a criminal offence, saying the country would be in "good company" once it came into law. He said illegal immigration was already a criminal offence in France, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said he will meet Berlusconi to discuss Italy's controversial immigration policies. "I hope that dialogue on this issue will be lucrative," said Tariceanu, without specifying the date for such a meeting. BackgroundAccording to the National Statistics Institute of Italy, some 196,000 Romanians work legally on the peninsula, but Italian authorities estimate that some 342,000 Romanians live in Italy. The estimate by Caritas, an NGO, is even higher – 556,000. Some 160,000 Roma are estimated to live in Italy, 70,000 of whom are Italian nationals. The rest are immigrants from Eastern Europe, mainly from Romania (roughly 60,000), according to the NGO Opera Nomadi. Resentment towards Roma grew after the establishment of many illegal camps. Some camps outside Naples were even torched by locals. To address the issue, in November 2007 the Italian government issued a decree allowing the deportation of migrants from other EU countries if they are considered a "threat to public safety" (EURACTIV 16/11/07). Timeline 5 June 2008: JHA Council, Luxembourg. 17 June 2008: Commission to propose guidelines on migration policy. Further ReadingPress articles Euronews:Berlusconi backtracks over illegal immigrants Rainews:Berlusconi: no al reato di immigrazione clandestina. Polemica la Lega Reuters:Italy rejects criticism of measures
