Never again: this is the appeal that comes from the Pope at the Angelus in front of the seventy victims of Cutro
.
Francis asks to stop the smugglers and to prevent "journeys of hope from turning into journeys of death".
He also asks to learn to "understand" and "cry" and he does so with a long and moving silence in prayer in St. Peter's Square.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she welcomes the Pontiff's appeal: "We will employ all the necessary forces", she assures.
ANSA Agency
Migrants: the pope's pain for the victims of Cutro, 'stop the traffickers' - Politics
The Pope expressed his "sorrow" over the death of migrants in Calabria and renewed his appeal so that such tragedies do not happen again (ANSA)
Lega leader Matteo Salvini also applauds the Pope's words, but from the opposition Nicola Fratoianni of the Italian Left comments: "There really is a limit: when you hide your inhuman actions behind the Pope's words, you do a shameful operation" .
From the Pd Giuseppe Provenzano instead returns to ask for the resignation of the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi.
The National Association of Magistrates also enters the debate, reiterating that rescuing and saving for the State "is an obligation".
Pope: 'Sorrow for the victims of Cutro, stop the traffickers'
Meanwhile, another day of emotion took place in Cutro with the well-attended Via Crucis on the beach, everyone praying behind the cross made with pieces of wood from the hull of the boat on which many migrants died.
"I express my pain - the Pope said in the Angelus - for the tragedy that took place in the waters of Cutro near Crotone. I pray for the many victims of the shipwreck, for their families and for those who survived. I express my appreciation and my gratitude to the local population and to the institutions for their solidarity and acceptance of these brothers and sisters of ours. I renew my appeal to all so that similar tragedies do not repeat themselves. Human traffickers must be stopped, they must not continue to dispose of the lives of so many innocent.
Journeys of hope never turn into journeys of death again.
May the clear waters of the Mediterranean no longer be bloodied by such dramatic incidents.
May the Lord give us the strength to understand and to cry", the Pope hoped.
ANSA Agency
Via Crucis for the migrants victims of the shipwreck - Calabria
At the head the cross made with the remains of the sunken wreck (ANSA)
For Prime Minister Meloni "the Holy Father's words represent a great appeal to all institutions. As a government we make them our own, continuing to employ all the forces necessary to fight human traffickers and stop deaths at sea".
Deputy Prime Minister Salvini underlines: "I share the words of the Holy Father and work, not starting today, to put them into practice and save lives".
He continues the position of the ANM on what happened, which hopes that "in any circumstance the mandatory rescue obligation will always be respected, which is engraved in our Constitution even before international conventions".
POSSIBLE NEW MEASURES
On the intervention front, there is the hypothesis of a measure that will involve several ministries under the direction of Prime Minister Meloni.
For this reason, a new redetermination of the regular flows of migrants is being studied, thanks to cooperation agreements with the countries of origin which must combat irregular departures.
Among the possible measures is also the tightening of penalties for traffickers
in human beings and new procedures to simplify mechanisms that are still too slow: from repatriation to the reception system, passing through the institution of international protection.
At the moment, however, these are only hypotheses
pending further definition of possible measures and measures.
The immigration issue will also be addressed in the Council of Ministers in Cutro, announced by Prime Minister Meloni, which should be held no later than Friday.
THE VIA CRUCIS
In Calabria, meanwhile, the search for the fire brigade continues uninterrupted because, in addition to the seventy victims, an unknown number of people are still missing.
And it was also a time for prayer, Christians and Muslims together.
In fact, a thousand people took part in the Via Crucis on the beach where the sea returned many corpses.
At the head of the procession was the cross made by the artist Maurizio Giglio with the remains of the sunken boat on behalf of Don Francesco Loprete, parish priest of "Le Castella".
"We wanted to make this cross - said Don Francesco - to remember the many innocent people who died in the shipwreck. This drama will never be erased from our minds. After two thousand years, Christ is still on the Cross".
The Archbishop of Crotone, Monsignor Angelo Raffaele Panzetta took part in the Via Crucis.
"We are here - said the prelate - animated by hope and in a spirit of union with our Muslim brothers, in silence and in prayer, behind the saving Cross".
In fact, the imam of the Cutro mosque, Mustafa Achik, was also present at the initiative.
Together they deposited a wreath in the sea.
Migrant shipwreck, in Cutro Via Crucis for the victims
