WEB DESK
The EU has pledged more measures and more money to help Italy face growing numbers of migrants on its shores, including a possible visa limit on Bangladesh.
Close to 94,000 people have crossed safely from Libya to Italy so far this year, prompting pleas from Rome for urgent help from its European Union partners. The UN refugee agency has said more than 2,370 people have died attempting the perilous crossing.
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker promised an extra 116 million dollars in funding, on top of nearly 800 million euros already pledged, in a letter to Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Prime Minister. He also pledged a Commission contact team to ensure keep communications open and ensure a rapid operational response from the Commission services.
In another effort, to put pressure on Bangladesh to take back its migrants, Juncker threatened to limit visas to Europe for travelers from the south Asian nation.