Regarding migration from Africa via the Mediterranean, Ott postulated in 2018 that "this route must be dried out"; the merit of Italy's Home Office Secretary Matteo Salvini should be acknowledged "at least to have made this route less attractive".
Mit Blick auf die Migrantenströme über das Mittelmeer erklärte Ott 2018, es gelte "diese Route auszutrocknen"; Italiens Innenminister Matteo Salvini sei zugute zu halten, "immerhin die Route unattraktiver gemacht" zu haben.