No European Union country has done more than Italy for foreign minors who illegally arrive here unaccompanied by adults, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Monday.
There are currently some 8,000 minors who have arrived by sea alone and for whom Italy spends about 120 euros a day, he added.
''And it's money well spent. No one else in Europe does so much to help these children who have arrived alone by sea. This is another reason why who no one can accuse us of intolerance,'' Frattini said.
Italy has come under fire from international organizations and the Catholic Church for its new immigration policy which included intercepting migrates before they arrive in Italian waters and sending them back to Libya.
According to the foreign minister, the the number of unaccompanied children arriving in Italy in the first three months of the year jumped 75% compared to the first quarter of 2008, from 102 to 179.
Frattini added that these 8,000 minors ''have the right to be reunited with their families,'' if their parents are alive and can be located.
