migrants, EU on our positions. No of Poland and Orbán-Corriere.it

Poland and Hungary tried to the last minute, on the first day of the European Council, to call into question the agreement on migration reached on 8 June in Luxembourg by the interior ministers with a qualified majority. It will be a long night, tweeted Balzs Orbn, political director of the Hungarian premier, Viktor Orbn, contesting the pro-immigration text. Warsaw and Budapest blocked the conclusions and asked for the migration point to be removed. An attempt was made at length to amend the text. Discussions continued into the night.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, upon her arrival at the summit, he said that the conclusions of the European Council are an excellent starting point, there are Italy’s positions. And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was very happy with the agreement. Polish premier Mateusz Morawiecki, who underlined the excellent relationship with Meloni, instead asked for a unanimous decision on migration, as he had undertaken to do at the European Council in the past. The prime minister, on the other hand, looks ahead: We have really managed to change the point of view, also with the contribution of other nations – she said – from the age-old division between countries of first arrival and countries of secondary movements to a single approach that solves the problems of all: the external dimension. Morawiecki presented his plan for secure borders, which says no to everything, including the imposition of sanctions for those who do not agree to help countries of first entry. Warsaw recalled that it had welcomed over three million refugees and lamented the lack of support. Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani in his speech at the pre-summit of the People’s Party underlined that the EPP was fundamental in reaching political agreement on the new Pact on migration and asylum.

On support for Ukraine, the EU was united. The European Council was preceded by a lunch with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The consequences of the revolt of the Wagner group were at the center of the confrontation. Poland and the Baltics have expressed concern about Belarus now hosting Prigozhin and nuclear rhetoric. EU High Representative Josep Borrell said a weaker Putin poses a greater danger while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, via video link, replied that Russia’s weakness will make it safe for others and its defeat will solve the problem of this war.

As for the Mes, the president of the Eurogroup Paschal Donohoe yesterday, speaking to the Economic Problems Commission of the EU Parliament, explained that he respects and understands the point of view of the Italian government which does not want to use it but has invited Rome to ratify it to allow the new functions to be available to other governments in the Eurozone. Meanwhile, yesterday the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber gave the green light to the ESM ratification bill with the government’s decision to return to the position of the opposition.

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