Italy's PM: Salvini 'obsessed' with blocking migrants at sea

A humanitarian boat carrying 147 migrants rescued at sea was eventually allowed to let nine persons disembark on Thursday night on a tiny Italian island, but the others were stuck aboard for a 15th night, as the drama was swept up in Italy's rapidly worsening government crisis.

With a political standoff exacerbated by the migration issue, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte rebuked his interior minister for being "obsessive" about closing Italian ports in a migrant crackdown.

The Spanish rescue boat Open Arms tweeted that the "urgent" evacuation of five persons was authorized for psychological reasons and four family members were allowed to accompany them.

The nine were transferred by the Italian coast guard in a motorized rubber dinghy.

The fate of the remaining 138 migrants stayed unresolved.

"We continue to not have authorization to disembark the other persons aboard," Open Arms said. "This will be their 15th night" sleeping on the crowded ship, which has described deteriorating medical and hygiene conditions.

In an open letter to Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, Conte rebuked the right-wing leader of the junior coalition League party for his "obsessive concentration in facing the theme of immigration, reducing it to a "closed ports' formula."
Salvini shot back at a news conference that he was "proud" of his "obsession," saying that he is determined to keep Italy safe and its borders secured, because "that's what Italian citizens pay me for."
Trenta said she acted "listening to my conscience."