LECCE -- Apulia is preparing itself for a migrant emergency, by putting in place “precautionary steps” according to the city prefect for Lecce. Investigators have said that “there aren’t any indications for the imminent arrival of refugees.” Nevertheless Salento is preparing itself. The Finance Police branch has chosen to redirect funds to the coastguard that were previously resources destined for environmental protection. The Red Cross has said, “We are training 40 volunteers to help migrants to re-establish contact with their families or trace missing people.” The Prefecture of Lecce has asked for local authorities to gather to “make a precautionary emergency plan.” The concern is over a change of migrant route, as they are currently blocked on the threshold of Macedonia, though according to intelligence sources the arrivals will not be imminent. It will be the change in borders that channel the flow of migrants, who at the moment are trying to deal with the rising levels of blocks: in fact, Albania is also sealing its border. The city prefect for Lecce, Claudio Palomba, is choosing to act whilst there’s time: “Throughout the next week,” he explained, “I will summon, at least for this first phase, the biggest municipalities and those in coastal areas, in addition to their police forces. We will recognise the available strategies for an eventual emergency, with the aim of being ready if the situation needs to change. Then, from that position, we will evaluate how to go about things, because we have the summer season knocking at the door and we want this to impact as little as possible on the tourist aspect. It’s a strategy in which to take our priorities into consideration, between the local population and then the whole Apulian system.” They aim to draw up a plan, similar to that of their precautionary one on Civil Protection: “First of all,” said Palomba, “We are creating a ‘screening’ of the possible arrivals, which probably will be mostly formed of small boats, rather than large ships. It will concentrate of the activities of analysis and precautions. Then, the very first arrivals will result in the activation of garrisons on the coast, who are already stationed in port areas. In addition, on Tuesday we signed an agreement with the Otranto municipality for the renovation and expansion of the first welcome centre, Don Tonino Bello, and we asked the mayor to speed up the procedure as much as possible.”