ROME -- Italian Minister of the Interior, Marco Minniti, says that the assessment process of refugees coming into the country should be made “much quicker,” further claiming that, “Whoever does not respect the rules should be immediately removed,” in a recent discussion of the prominent immigration crisis.

 Severity and respect for the rules, yet also integration and social recuperation. The immigration plan which will be illustrated Feb. 8 to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs presents a real challenge, simultaneously promoting the welcoming of refugees as well as strictness and rigour, supposed solidarity yet also elements of repression.

 Minister Minniti feels this challenge is entirely necessary however, claiming that, “Regarding immigration, Italy is being subjected to an epochal process and it is something that cannot be chased, it must be governed,” reports Roman daily Il Messaggero Monday.

 “For this reason,” continued the Minister of the Interior, “both severity and integration is necessary. Whoever does not respect the rules must be repatriated. Full stop. And this not the desire of the Minister of the Interior, this is the ruling of the Italian Republic.”

 “To succeed,” believes Minniti, “procedures must be sped up. I propose a significant reduction in the time taken to validate the status of refugees, because two years for checks and verifications create an enormous stress within the various territories and I cannot leave mayors alone facing this task.”

 The Minister then turned to solutions and so-called ‘action plans,’ stating, “Out of the expected relocation and redistribution of 40,000 immigrants, 3,000 have been sent away. We need an action plan but it is not enough to just ask the EU. I have started to do something in Italy, and I know that it is not enough but we must try and be the pioneers. With this issue, we are playing with the democratic developments of our country.”

 To conclude, the Democratic Party politician referred to terrorism and the breeding culture of fear across Europe, claiming, “We will only win the battle if there is a great alliance (…) The future of Europe is being played here in Italy. And it is a situation which cannot be taken light-heartedly.”

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