(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, APRIL 12 - "Italy has requested financial assistance from the European Commission due to the increase in the arrivals of migrants, in particular to address the critical situation in the Lampedusa hotspot".
This was stated by a spokesman for the EU executive, specifying that Italy receives support from the EU "with a wide range of measures", including "expertise in the field".
"Italy - he added - is one of the main beneficiaries of the fund for migration and integration and is also among the first beneficiaries in the Mediterranean for the new programming period".
(HANDLE).