Around a thousand refugees from Ukraine have already arrived in Italy. According to the newspaper La Repubblica, the majority are women and children and almost all of them go to the homes of family or friends who live and work in Italy.
A association Italy-Ukraine estimates that there will be 800 and 900 thousand refugees who will be able to seek refuge in Italian territory, but it is impossible to predict how many will arrive in the coming weeks.
O interior Ministery, at this moment, it has prepared a reception plan for 16 thousand places in structures destined for migrants, 13 thousand in CAS (Extraordinary Reception Centers) and 3 thousand in the SAI network (Reception and Integration System).
Judging by UNHCR and NATO forecasts – which speak of 5 to 6 million people fleeing Ukraine – the places may be completely insufficient, but this is just the first step in a plan that is impossible to define in numbers and that counts for a lot with the work in the mayors' territories, explain sources from the Ministry of the Interior, according to the La Repubblica.
The “external” reception plan
Italy has the largest Ukrainian community in Europe: almost 250 thousand people. The majority of whom reside in Lombardia, Emilia Romagna e campania.
It is, therefore, predictable that thousands of refugees will arrive in Italy, but with shelter to go to, finding hospitality in the homes of family and friends.
A solution certainly preferable to reception centers. But the problem of maintenance will obviously arise.
It will be up to the State, through municipalities or the network of bodies, associations, volunteers, to develop a meal supply plan, either with the installation of restaurants or the distribution of shopping vouchers, health care, and after enrolling children in school , us Italian courses, training and work for adults.
The example of Troy in Puglia
A model that has already been tested in Italy and that some municipalities are already preparing, as in Troy: the small town of Foggia has already established that all Ukrainian citizens living there can bring relatives and family in danger for Italy.
The municipality will provide food and lodging. "We cannot stop the madness of war, but we can help those who suffer from it," says Mayor Leonardo Cabalieri.
Refugee status for one year
Tomorrow, in Brussels, the European Union will launch the directive on temporary reception that automatically provides for the recognition of international protection for one year (renewable) for all people coming from war zones who, therefore, will not have to present any asylum request for analysis by commissions.
They will receive the document and will be able to move freely in Europe. There is, therefore, no distribution of reception quotas for the 27 member states of Europe, as refugees will be free to move and choose the country where they go to join friends and relatives.
The minister Luciana Lamorgese will also be present at the Interior Ministers' meeting on Thursday in Brussels. Today she will report to the Schengen Committee about the reception plan.
