By Marcello Campo – Strengthen the agreement with Tunisia, strengthen the partnership with London to promote a “stronger” fight against smugglers who go beyond the EU’s borders, because it is time to move from words to action.
In Granada, the six-person agreement was born between Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Albania, the Netherlands and the executive branch of the European Union with one goal: to take the fight against traffickers seriously.
A new development in Andalusian soil has among its protagonists Georgia Meloni.
His message upon arrival in the city is clear: regarding the migrant issue, Italy is “by no means isolated in Europe.”
In fact, in this strong and very ambitious platform, the Italian Prime Minister receives the support of the participants in a new format, which was opened in a room in the Palace of Congress in Granada.
The Prime Minister and the British Prime Minister were surprisingly invited to a meeting, initially attended by their counterpart from the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, and Albania, Edi Rama. Soon, European Commission President and French President Emmanuel Macron joined.
It is clear that the presence around the same table of the three protagonists of the memorandum with Tunisia takes on a very strong significance in light of the criticism received by the agreement in Brussels, especially from Charles Michael and Olaf Scholes.
The absence of two socialist European prime ministers – host Pedro Sánchez and the German chancellor – suggests a tougher core for developing a firmer line-up inside and outside the union.
These are the premises for the bilateral meeting between Meloni and Shoals, scheduled for tomorrow (6) on the sidelines of the informal council, which is more delicate.
Those who convened the meeting insisted it was an “open” format and tried to ease tensions.
However, the truth is that Ukraine, artificial intelligence and many other topics were on the agenda for the day, but the issue of migration was not.
According to some rumours, the Spanish President would not have particularly appreciated the initiative, however, having already prepared a document with eight points, from more support to partner countries, to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist migrants on their return and to help North African countries secure borders and counter entry.
Meloni, in fact, was clear this morning that the agreement reached yesterday (4) in Brussels is a first step, certainly not decisive: “Italy voted in favor of the Migration and Asylum Agreement because we consider that they are better than the provisions. The previous ones.
But the Italian proposal – the President of the Council clarified – is not to continue talking about how we distribute people who enter Europe illegally, but to stop illegal immigration”.
Thus, he avoided raising the tone against the Tunisian president and his desire to refuse EU funding: “I believe that Syed, who I have a good relationship with, spoke mainly for his public opinion, and I understand what he said. Tunisia has a problem. It’s not ours, there is also illegal immigration.” . .
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