Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized a German humanitarian organization involved in a rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea, expressing concerns that these operations, which involve transporting rescued immigrants to Italy, may infringe upon Italy's sovereignty, as reported by Forbes.
On Friday, Musk shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) that depicted migrants and aid workers on a boat. This video was originally posted by a user who claimed it showed German NGO ships in the Mediterranean Sea gathering illegal immigrants before disembarking them in Italy.
The account that initially shared the content on X expressed support for the populist far-right Alternative for Germany party, which has adopted a tough stance on immigration issues.
Musk, in response to the video, questioned whether the German public was aware of these operations, writing in his report, "Is the German public aware of this?"
Germany's government responded to Musk's criticism and commented on his X post, asserting, "Yes. And it’s called saving lives."
Musk expressed doubt that the majority of the German public supported these operations, contending that they likely constituted violations of Italy's sovereignty and had "invasion vibes."
Earlier this week, the German government confirmed its support for three NGOs operating in the Mediterranean Sea that bring migrants to Italy, according to Reuters. This funding has faced opposition from the Italian government.
The far-right Prime Minister of Italy, Meloni, conveyed her astonishment in a letter to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this month, alleging that Germany had decided to finance NGOs involved in migrant "reception" on Italian territory without coordinating with the Italian government. Meloni suggested that Germany should focus on assisting migrants within its own borders, considering its struggle to provide accommodations for asylum seekers. She argued that the activities of these NGOs incentivized people to undertake perilous journeys for asylum in other countries.
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