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No to multi-ethnic Italy

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has defended his government’s decision to return migrants found off its shores to Libya by declaring that his party rejected the idea of a “multi-ethnic” Italy.

His remark prompted an outcry from opposition politicians, already indignant at his refusal to condemn an ally in Milan who last week proposed that seats and carriages on local public transport be reserved for native Italians. Immigrants account for an estimated 7 per cent of the population in Italy.

Piero Fassino, a leading opposition politician, said: “Without immigrants, Italy’s productive system would have serious gaps.”

Mr. Berlusconi made his comment after denying claims that Italy violated international law last week when its navy returned to Libya more than 200 “boat people” trying to enter Italian waters.

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