“Just over 10” people from the two German-run NGO vessels Sea-Watch 3 and Sea Eye will be hosted by the Chiesa Valdese Protestant church “at no cost to the state”, according to Rai News.
Among them are women and children.
Chiesa Valdese has reportedly assisted asylum seekers with housing, Italian language learning and skills training in the past.
The announcement comes after a late-night meeting on Wednesday between Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and deputy prime ministers Luigi Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and Matteo Salvini of the anti-immigration League party.
Early on Wednesday, a furious Salvini said he was not consulted about Italy’s decision to take in the stranded migrants along with seven other EU member states.
Salvini claimed victory and said he was “very satisfied” with the outcome of the meeting.
He said he and his coalition partners came to an agreement that the migrants will only be let into Italy if other European countries agree to resettle around 200 people rescued at sea and brought to Sicily since last August.
“The interior minister is in charge of immigration,” he declared.
Conte has not confirmed whether Salvini’s statement regarding the conditions of entry for the migrants is true.
