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France and Italy: The Future of Schengen in the Balance

Kiron KreuterApril 21, 2011

France and Italy are embroiled in a dispute about the future of thousands of refugees from northern Africa. Rome has issued them with temporary residence permits, but Paris has closed its border to trains carrying refugees.

https://p.dw.com/p/RJNX
The Italian government under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is taking a calculated risk. The majority of Tunisians speak French and many have friends and relatives in France. With a temporary visa from Italy, the Tunisian refugees will be able to cross the border legally into other European nations. The city of Ventimigilia in northern Italy is at the eye of the storm.