Italy criticised on immigration

Bavaria's interior minister has attacked Italy over its newly-stated policy of issuing EU visas to migrants from North Africa.

Joachim Herrmann, of Bavaria state, which borders Austria and is the logical transit route to northern Europe from Italy, told Die Welt's Sunday edition that Italy "has to deal with its immigration problem itself and may not dump it on other EU countries".

He was also quoted as saying that border controls are a last resort to stop a possible migrants' influx.