Italy: Hard line on immigration – A European solution is needed, Meloni says

“France’s reaction against my country is unjustified. Paris adopted this attitude against Italy, even if we, since the beginning of the year, have accepted almost 90,000 immigrants”, emphasized today Georgia Meloni.

Her report refers to the statement of the French interior minister, who called on all countries of the Union to block the relocation of refugees from Italy. His statement was made after the decision of Paris to accept the 234 migrants of the ship Ocean Viking, to whom Italy did not offer a safe port.

“All NGO ships come to Italy. We cannot be the only port in Europe for immigrants arriving from Africa,” Meloni replied. And he added that Italy, Greece, Spain and Malta cannot constantly fight with the rest of the EU member countries over immigration and refugees.

A European initiative is needed

“The situation can no longer be handled as in the past, until now relocations have not worked. I am asking for a European solution because it must be made clear again, that all countries have the same rights”, emphasized the Italian Prime Minister. He was, however, in favor of an analytical discussion “which should lead to a European initiative”. “We need to talk to be able to find the necessary solutions,” said Georgia Meloni.

However, the head of the Italian government emphasized that “she does not believe that Europe will take tough initiatives against Italy”, because it did not accept the survivors of the Ocean Viking ship.

Meanwhile, migrants and refugees arriving in small boats, which are not owned by non-governmental organizations, continue to disembark in Italy. As Meloni herself underlined, within one day, the arrivals of the “desperate people of the sea” on the Italian shores exceeded six hundred.

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