The defense of Italian borders by the new Meloni government opens a crisis with France that has not occurred since the times of the yellow vests. In 2019, the trip of then Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio with his support for the French protest movement triggered the diplomatic affair; this time to increase the tension between Paris and Rome is the management of migratory flows. Specifically, as Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin explained, the “incomprehensible” option of the “new Italian authorities” of not responding to the various requests for assistance made in recent days by the ship Ocean Viking, with 230 migrants on board, “Despite possible dispute in the Italian search and rescue area”.
This attitude led France to welcome the NGO Sos Mediterranée boat, which is scheduled for tomorrow in the port of Toulon, “to save lives on board”. A green light, however, is not without serious consequences. France, in fact, announced Darmanin, “has suspended with immediate effect all relocations of 3,500 refugees for the benefit of Italy and asks all other participants of the European Solidarity Mechanism, in particular Germany, to do the same”. If that were not enough, Paris in the coming hours “will adopt measures to strengthen controls on our internal borders with Italy and will also extract all the consequences of the Italian attitude in other aspects of bilateral relations”.
In addition, France intends to organize in the coming days, with the EU Commission and Germany, “a meeting that will establish, in full compliance with international law, the framework that will make it possible to draw the consequences of the Italian attitude and better regulate the actions rescue at sea for NGO ships in the Mediterranean”.
In short, a total clash with the French government “deeply regretted” that Italy “has not behaved as a responsible European state. The management of migratory flows in the Mediterranean is a European problem that concerns us all and requires a European response.” ”.
Italy’s response to Paris’ stance did not come from Giorgia Meloni, but from the ministers of her government. First of all, Matteo Piantedosi from the Interior, according to which “the reaction that France is having to the request for the reception of 234 migrants is totally incomprehensible in the face of the constant calls for solidarity due to these people. But it also demonstrates how firm and determined the position of other nations is in the face of illegal immigration.” “What we don’t understand – reads the note issued by the owner of the Interior Ministry – is why Italy should willingly accept something that others are not willing to accept.” In Italy, added Piantedosi, “this year almost 90,000 people disembarked. Thirteen European countries have pledged to relocate a total of around 8,000 people, less than a tenth. So far 117 have been relocated (0.13% of arrivals), of which 38 in France (0.04%)”. “In the face of these relocations, considered absolutely insufficient – the minister’s words -, we want to impose the principle that Italy is the only possible landing place in Europe for illegal immigrants, thus determining a notably increasing flow of entries over the last three years. European Union is being announced, but Italy has so far faced this problem alone and our reception system is in serious difficulties”.
In conclusion, Piantedosi stressed that Italy “will not be able to agree on solutions for a European Pact that is not adequately balanced between measures of solidarity and responsibility. First-entry countries cannot, in fact, bear the burden of exclusive responsibility for managing flows alone. That’s why we continue to defend that the most serious solution is to work together to stop the exits from North Africa”.
France’s “disproportionate” reaction was then judged by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking on the sidelines of President Sergio Mattarella’s state visit to the Netherlands. For the head of Farnesina, “it is necessary to face the issue with greater serenity and solutions can and must be found at the European level”. For the other deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, on the other hand, “it is inexplicable the nervousness of some French politicians in the face of the arrival of 234 immigrants by ship. In Italy there have been almost 90,000 arrivals since the beginning of the year, and of these, France accepted only 38, all of Europe only 117. The protest should be Italy “
Source: IL Tempo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
