(Finance) – A common position among the countries on the southern shore of the Union in view of the next European Councils, especially after the tensions of recent days with Germany over funding for NGOs and the Migration Pact. This is what Italy asks the leaders of the other 8 EU countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean gathered today in Malta for the tenth “Med9” summit of the southern countries of the European Union which sees the migration issue at the center. The presidents of the European Commission also took part in the summit, Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council Charles Michel, invited by the Maltese Prime Minister, Robert Abela.
In recent days the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent to colleagues of France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia and Croatia a letter asking for a “cohesive” position on the issue of migrants. In the letter Meloni reiterates that the migration issue is a priority for Italy, which expects the rapid implementation of the common approach reached at European level last February. Meloni – who also refers to the memorandum with Tunisia – also appreciated the positive developments after the visit to Lampedusa with Ursula von der Leyen and the ten-point plan announced by the President of the Commission. The Italian government is aware of the fact that time is needed to put into practice a multilevel strategy that includes various actions, but the objective – according to the prime minister – is to keep the issue at the top of the list of attention and continue to commit to having specific and concrete results. Furthermore, on this topic, the Justice and Home Affairs Council is scheduled for tomorrow in Brussels to which Minister Matteo Piantedosi, according to what we understand, will bring some Italian proposals to speed up the implementation of the European strategy
“I understand the German government’s position, but if they want to go back on the NGO rules, then we propose another amendment by which the country responsible for welcoming migrants who are transported on an NGO’s ship is that of the flag of the ship – he said Melonsabout the stalemate over the European Pact on Migrants –. I had – explained Meloni speaking on the sidelines of the Med9 in Malta – exchanges with Chancellor Scholz yesterday on this open matter of the migration and asylum pact. For us, redistribution has never been the priority, for me the problem will never be completely resolved if each country thinks of passing it on to another. The only way to solve everyone’s problem is the work we are doing on the external dimension. After that we were very cooperative on the issue of the migration and asylum pact, we also voted for it because it improved conditions for us compared to the previous rules, then yesterday Germany arrived with some amendments, one in particular which for us represents a step backwards on the topic of non-governmental organizations, and yesterday we had several NGO ships, including German ones, in our waters, and we asked for time, because it couldn’t have been decided like this yesterday. Let’s see what the solution to this problem will be, let’s remain cooperative but everyone must take responsibility for the political choices they make. We have our line, others have another, the problem is not to unload the line of one on the interests of the other”. On the topic of non-governmental organisations, among the Med9 countries, Meloni further said, “I found very strong positions also on the distinction between what some NGOs do and what other NGOs do”.
Anyone who thinks that the problem of migrants “can be confined within the borders of a European nation is making a mistake – underlined the Italian Prime Minister –. Without structural responses, first the nations of first arrival will be overwhelmed, but then everyone will be overwhelmed by this problem The action plan presented by Ursula von der Leyen in Lampedusa is an excellent starting framework, it is essential to make it concrete and operational and implement these principles” he added Melons in final statements by leaders at the end of the Med9 summit in Malta. Meloni said she was “happy” with the “convergence” found at the summit, which led to a final declaration with “many concrete and serious elements”. The Med9 “reaffirms the path to follow: fighting traffickers, going to the causes of immigration phenomena and offering answers to African countries. The only way to seriously address the problem is to help the most vulnerable, starting with those who have the right to asylum, is to bring the migration issue back to legality: one cannot enter Europe illegally”. And then – continues the prime minister – “we need to give serious answers to an African continent that is increasingly in difficulty”. For Italy it is necessary that “readmission agreements for repatriations are a European issue”, that the fight against traffickers and the “financial flows of criminal organizations be strengthened”, that there are “agreements to support the countries of North Africa for the control of maritime space and the blocking of departures”. In this regard, Meloni hopes for “the immediate implementation of the agreement with Tunisia” which “means building a new partnership with Africa”. From this perspective, in view of the review of the multiannual financial framework, Meloni hopes that “there will be important resources to help the African continent which has great resources but is in a condition of poverty and instability”.
“We support the 10-point plan presented by the European Commission and propose to colleagues to implement it as soon as possible – said the French president, Emmanuel Macron, during the final declarations at the conclusion of the summit of the leaders of the Med9 group –. Immigration is an exceptional situation, especially the one that affected Lampedusa. There must be a single European response, we must all show solidarity with Italy and the first ports of call. It concerns Italy, Spain and Greece”. “I thank Ursula von der Leyen for the 10 points presented” continued the French president, recalling that in the meeting with Giorgia Meloni and the president of the Commission “we proposed to our colleagues to put in place and implement these 10 points to finalize things” and adding that he “hopes that in the coming days at European level we will be able to improve our internal functioning to work together on the issue of immigration” and “to improve a respectful partnership with the countries of origin and transit that brings technical cooperation and financing to fight in a concrete way against human traffickers”. “We support the 10-point plan – concluded Macron – and we would like to implement it especially with Tunisia and Libya”.
“We cannot allow traffickers to decide who enters Europe,” he said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the final declaration at the Med9 summit saying he agreed with what Meloni and Macron said on the issue of migrants and with the “action points of the European Commission which are important”. “We must monitor more those who leave Africa, so that there are fewer people who leave illegally and risk dying at sea – added Mitsotakis –. We must find legal immigration channels. Those who can collaborate in European life with manpower, with work he must be able to enter legally”.
“As was said by Giorgia Meloni, we must collaborate and create partnerships with African countries, thus protecting human rights, developing measures to reduce the risks for these people – said the Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa –. We must aim for legal migration and reduce illegal migration.”
“I totally agree with Giorgia, we must respond to this challenge proactively – said the Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, speaking at the end of the Med9 summit –. We Mediterranean countries are united.”