Refugee Crisis: Italy may grant temporary EU visas to 200,000 migrants

More than 200,000 migrants in Italy may be granted temporary EU visas, enabling them to travel anywhere in Europe.

The move, which has been described as a ‘nuclear option’, has been threatened in a bid to deal with the country’s migrant and refugee crisis.

It means that new arrivals to Italy would be able to travel across Europe using the Brussels directive, according to The Times.

The little known Brussel’s directive gives displaced people entry to Europe for a certain period of time.

Mario Giro, the deputy foreign minister, said he believes the country can exploit European Council Directive 2001/55 to give temporary permits to a large number of people.

Speaking to The Times, Mr Giro and Luigi Manconi, a senator with the ruling Democratic Party, confirmed that the temporary visas are under discussion.