People cannot be returned to countries where they are not safe, Johansson says

**Euronews **

So, it's a dire situation in the Mediterranean. 700 people already died this year. The United Nations Migration Agency director, António Vitorino, is insisting that state initiatives are lacking when it comes to rescue efforts at sea. Will there be a new joint EU mission?   

Ylva Johansson

I must say that what we see now from the Italian Coast Guard is really impressive. They have rescued, I think, already more than 30,000 people this year. And we also have the NGOs, but to a much lesser extent, of course. The state initiatives are the big ones when it comes to search and rescue. But we have to prevent these dangerous departures in the first place because there is always a risk that somebody will go missing or lose their life if they depart on these dangerous journeys. That's why it's so important with prevention - fighting the smugglers, but also offering legal pathways, safe pathways to the European Union.  

**Euronews **

We see that, in the end, Italy is the main arrival point, it is at the forefront. The government just declared a state of emergency for six months. And we also saw the Interior Minister of France criticising the [Italian] government, saying it's not able to manage migration. What would you say to this? 

** Ylva Johansson**

I think that Italy is under huge pressure, and I think they are managing it pretty well. The state of emergency in Italy is, of course, a national decision. But, as I understand, this helps Italy to cope with a quicker reception, improving the reception capacities in a quicker way. And that's absolutely necessary due to the huge number of arrivals. But it is important to say that Italy should not be alone. We have to support Italy here. 

** Euronews **

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