EU Plan on Repatriations Thanks to Italy’s Courage, Says Meloni

Rome: Premier Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday addressed a Lower House debate in anticipation of this week’s European Council meeting, asserting that the proposal for migrant repatriations, as presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was made possible due to Italy’s initiative. The proposal involves setting up processing centers for asylum seekers in non-EU countries, a concept that Meloni claims was inspired by Italy’s plan for expedited asylum request processing in Albania.

According to Ansa News Agency, Meloni emphasized the significance of Italy’s role, stating, “Everyone must deal with the reality that the proposal on repatriations presented by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talks about opening centres to process the applications of migrants – this simply wouldn’t have happened if Italy hadn’t had the courage to launch the protocol with Albania.” This statement underscores Italy’s proactive measures in addressing the complex issue of migrant processing within the EU framework.

Meloni also addressed a recent decision by Italy’s supreme Cassation Court. The court ruled that the government must compensate an asylum seeker who had been held for an extended period on a migrant-rescue coast guard vessel in August 2018. This situation arose due to a closed-ports policy promoted by then-interior minister Matteo Salvini. Meloni commented on the challenge of enforcing immigration rules, stating, “when you enter illegally, you already have failed to respect our rules and it is difficult to explain to these people that we want our rules to be respected if we are required to pay compensation to those entering Italy illegally.” Her remarks highlight the ongoing debate regarding immigration policies and their implications in Italy.