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In the late afternoon of December 18, the Senate finally approved the decree that modifies the so-called “security decrees” requested by former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, already approved by the Chamber of Deputies on December 9. The new decree removes tough restrictive measures on immigration and integration that had gone into effect between 2019 and 2018: it effectively reintroduced “humanitarian protection” (called “special protection”) for asylum seekers and reduced fines for NGOs that help to migrants at sea. The amendment was approved by 153 Yes, 2 No and 4 abstentions.
Salvini’s first security decree had canceled residence permits for humanitarian reasons, one of the three forms of protection that could be granted to asylum seekers (along with royal political asylum and subsidiary protection). The new decree, which has now become law, introduced special protection and establishes that residence permits for special protection and permits for disasters, for elective residence, for the acquisition of citizenship or the state can be converted into permits of residence for work reasons. stateless person, for sports activities, for artistic works, for religious reasons and for the assistance of minors.
As regards rescue operations at sea, the new decree establishes that the prohibition of entry into territorial waters can only be imposed on NGO vessels if they have not communicated their operations to the Italian authorities and the country of origin. The maximum fines for the infraction of this regulation cannot exceed 50 thousand euros and the administrative sanctions that were introduced with the security decrees have been eliminated, including the confiscation of the ship. For those who violate the entry ban, the risk of imprisonment for up to 2 years is maintained “in case of reasons of public order and security or of violation of the rules on smuggling of migrants by sea.”
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