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WORLD NEWS Friday 19 July 2019

Sea-Watch 3 captain calls for EU action on migrants rescues

By GIADA ZAMPANO migrants saved by civilian
Associated Press rescue ships,” she added.
ROME (AP) — A German Rackete’s lawyer, Alessan-
humanitarian ship captain dro Gamberini, told report-
who eluded an Italian effort ers that after her arrest was
to block her from docking overturned, she is free to go
at an Italian port with mi- back to Germany. Rackete
grants onboard has called hasn’t said whether she has
for the European Commis- decided to remain in Italy
sion to do its best to avoid for now.
new political standoffs. Gamberini also said that
Carola Rackete, captain criminalizing people for
of the Dutch-flagged Sea- saving human lives at sea
Watch 3, was questioned is an act of “irresponsibility.”
by Italian prosecutors in the Salvini has pushed a tough
Sicilian city of Agrigento on stance against illegal mi-
Thursday for allegedly aid- gration, closing Italian ports
ing illegal immigration. to humanitarian boats. He
Rackete was arrested June blames them for aiding
29 for entering the Italian human traffickers by res-
port of Lampedusa, ignor- cuing migrants who try to
ing a block imposed by cross the Mediterranean to
far-right Interior Minister Sea-Watch3 German captain Carola Rackete is accompanied by her lawyer Leonardo Marino, reach Europe.
Matteo Salvini. She was right, as she arrives for questioning in court in the southern Sicilian town of Agrigento, Italy, Earlier Thursday, EU interior
also accused of hitting an Thursday, July 18, 2019. ministers including Salvini
Italian border police boat Associated Press gathered at an informal
as she disembarked 40 mi- rest three days later, saying order for him not to do so. “I hope that the European meeting in Finland, which
grants who were rescued the captain had acted to “I’ve been very happy to Commission, after the elec- took over bloc’s rotating
off Libya and spent over save lives. be able to explain all the tion of the new parliament, six-month presidency ear-
two weeks at sea in a politi- But Rackete is still under in- details of the rescue op- will do its best to avoid this lier this month, to discuss mi-
cal standoff. vestigation for entering Ital- eration carried out on June kind of situation and that gration issues and the EU’s
A judge overturned the ar- ian waters despite a direct 12,” Rackete said. all the countries will accept asylum policy.q

Greece gets nod from creditors to ease bailout-era taxes

By DEREK GATOPOULOS government officials said. are broadly in favor of eas-
Associated Press Prime Minister Kyriakos Mit- ing tax rates but are also
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Se- sotakis’ conservative New pressing the government
nior officials from Greece’s Democracy party returned to stick to strict budget per-
creditor institutions are to power after winning a formance targets. “I know
meeting in Athens with the general election earlier that the government wants
country’s new conserva- this month on a pledge to to lower taxes which in prin-
tive government, which is cut taxes imposed during ciple I think is positive be-
planning to begin disman- Greece’s three successive cause it’s growth-friendly,”
tling bailout-era taxes next international bailouts. Klaus Regling, head of the
month. Representatives of The final bailout program European Stability Mecha-
the European Commission, ended last August, after nism, the euro area’s res-
European Central Bank, Greece had received a to- cue fund, told state-run ERT
the International Monetary Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, right, Deputy Prime tal of nearly 290 billion euros television in an interview.
Fund, and a eurozone res- Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos, center, and Finance Minister ($325 billion) in rescue loans. “The question is always
cue fund were holding Christos Staikouras, left, take the oath during a swearing in Bailout institutions, which how it’s financed because
meetings Thursday with at ceremony at the parliament in Athens, Wednesday, July 17, hold most of Greece’s debt it means there will be less
2019.
least five cabinet ministers, Associated Press and set repayment terms, revenue.”q