Nations must manage migratory flows in a legal and organised way as they are caused by conflict, climate-induced catastrophes and other threats and can't be "turned off" like a tap, Italy's Premier Paolo Gentiloni said.
"The theme of refugees is one that runs the risk of creating the most social tensions in our democracies," Gentiloni said during a visit to the northeast Veneto region.
"It's a subject that we have to get to used to dealing with, because the problem is not fooling ourselves that we will not have migrants and refugees in future.
"The challenge is organising and regulating these flows and making them manageable and compatible with our social systems rather than the preserve of people traffickers," Gentiloni continued.
"The problem is not deluding ourselves that these flows are like a tap that can be turned off.
"The fact is that we are surrounded by wars, tensions, climate-related catastrophes and threats of various kinds."
