The European Union's border agency Frontex said today that it is stepping up its work around Italy after last week's migrant-boat disaster off Lampedusa.

"We've decided to reallocate €2 million from our budget, giving priority to Italy and cutting other activities, to extend the Hermes operation until November," Frontex Deputy Executive Director Gil Arias told Italian news agency Ansa , referring the agency's central Mediterranean mission.

"But to do this we emptied our pockets. Our funds for 2013 are now exhausted".

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