Migrants, Tajani’s requests to the EU. “Now we are looking for solutions together” – Corriere.it

BRUSSELS – Everyone seemed convinced of the need to find a solution at the Community level. Minister Antonio Tajani speaks after meeting the president of the EU Parliament Roberta Metsola, at the end of the Foreign Affairs Council during which we raised the issue of immigration as Italy, which is a European problem, not of Italy and France, of Italy and Germany . It wasn’t a specific item on the agenda, EU High Representative Josep Borrell specified in a press conference, answering a question: But how can one refuse to talk about migration? He said -. Certain events in the Mediterranean make it inevitable. There was an exchange of views and we will certainly have to continue discussing it, but today there was nothing concrete.

Minister Tajani is pragmatic: A debate has begun – he said – and now we hope that it will reach the right conclusion in the coming weeks and months, because it is not an issue that can be resolved in a few days. The EU Commission presented the new pact for migration and asylum two years ago and it is still under negotiationMember States find it difficult to agree due to conflicting interests. For the minister, it is now a question of finding the right solutions and a Marshall plan for Africa is needed, with the investment of at least 100 billion euros and investments in the Balkans, for stability in that part of Europe. As for relocations, in the meantime we maintain and apply the rules that exist, then we can improve later.

Tajani insisted that there be a meeting as well joint meeting of foreign and interior ministers to address the issue comprehensively. The Czech presidency of the EU has not yet resolved the reservation as to whether to convene an extraordinary council or just a meeting at a technical level by the end of the month. In the event of a joint meeting, Italy’s reasons would be represented in Brussels by ministers Tajani and Piantedosi. The head of foreign affairs also addressed the NGO question: I raised the problem of NGO ships by recalling what Frontex wrote in the last report, namely that they are ships that do not provide rescue at sea, but that have appointments in the middle of the Mediterranean with traffickers.

The Commission during the usual briefing at midday yesterday he reiterated that we make no difference whether it is an NGO vessel or otherwise because there is a clear and unequivocal legal obligation that the safety of human life must have priority. For Tajani, the truth is that merchant ships should be the ones to do the rescue at sea. Evidently there are NGOs that do a different job to leave merchant ships free: I must not reveal the debate behind closed doors – he added – but the Commission has also shown itself to be sensitive on the issue of NGOs. The climate in the Council was relaxed, the issue was raised without controversy – Tajani reported – never against anyone. The phone call between the head of state Sergio Mattarella and the French president Emmanuel Macron was fundamental.