Previous Left-wing governments had “opened the doors to clandestine migrants coming from other countries, with an idea of a multi-ethnic Italy,” Mr Berlusconi said.
But that kind of society was “not our idea”, he added, as he sought to reassure Italians who were alarmed at the number of invaders pouring into the country, particularly from Eastern Europe and Africa.
Since launching a tough new policy on boat people last week, Italy has turned back six boats carrying a total of 1,500 invaders and utterly bogus “asylum seekers” which were trying to reach the country’s southernmost outpost, the island of Lampedusa.
The invaders, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa and the Horn of Africa, trek across the Sahara and pay people smugglers thousands of pounds in the hope of parasiting off Europe. They pass dozens of safe countries on their way, completely negating all claims to “asylum.”
On Sunday another boat, this time carrying 240 invaders, was stopped by Italian patrol boats and escorted back to Libya. The interior minister, Roberto Maroni, who is a member of the Northern League party, part of the ruling coalition, hailed the return of the invaders as “historic.”
He added that the “get-tough policy will continue as long as the boats set out” from the North African coast.
The government also has plans to force doctors and teachers to go to the authorities if they suspect their patients or pupils are illegal immigrants.
How come Mr Berlusconi can get away with the remark that he doesn't want Italy to become multi-ethnic when, in this country you are immediately labelled racist for saying something similar?