Migrants: Elon Musk criticises Berlin's support for NGOs

Elon Musk criticizes the German government on his social network, X, formerly Twitter. The American billionaire, boss of Tesla and Space X, disapproves of Berlin's financial support for NGOs rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean.

Life jackets are stored on board the rescue ship Aurora of the German NGO Sea-Watch, which operates in the Mediterranean Sea to rescue migrants, in the port of the small island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, September 25, 2023. AFP - TIZIANA FABI

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Elon Musk shared a video of migrants being rescued by the ship of an NGO partly funded by Berlin, asking this question: "Do the Germans know about this?

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The German Foreign Ministry's response: "Yes, that's what we call saving lives."

Is the German public aware of this? https://t.co/CMlRPRn4Z5

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 29, 2023

So you're actually proud of it. Interesting. Frankly, I doubt that a majority of the German public supports this. Have you run a poll?

Surely it is a violation of the sovereignty of Italy for Germany to transport vast numbers of illegal immigrants to Italian soil?

Has invasion...

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 29, 2023

In the United States, Elon Musk regularly interferes in the political debate, not hesitating to criticize the management of immigration at the border with Mexico. But this is the first time he has directly challenged a European government.

And the exchange continues. The billionaire believes that the majority of Germans are probably opposed to Berlin's funding of these NGOs engaged in the Mediterranean.

On the transport of migrants to Italian soil, Musk evokes a "violation of Italy's sovereignty by Germany" and goes even further: "It looks like an invasion."

" READ ALSO The Italian island of Lampedusa faces a record arrival of migrants

This time, no response from the German government. For his part, the boss of Tesla concluded by saying to be "completely in favor of simplifying immigration" provided that it is legal.

" READ ALSO In Germany, a migration policy between solidarity, firmness and confusion

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  • Immigration
  • International migration
  • Elon Musk
  • Germany
  • Italy