Migrants, Italy’s useless tug-of-war with France

To have refused reception to 200 migrantsthe government led by president Giorgia Meloni will now have to take charge of 3,500 refugees, who will remain in Italy instead of being relocated to France. Paris had in fact agreed to receive these people, by virtue of the voluntary European relocation mechanism. However, the French authorities have decided to suspend the agreement, due to the Italian refusal to disembark the migrants rescued by the Ocean Viking ship in Sicily. It is the first international slap received by the new premier Giorgia Meloni, due to her own closed ports policywhich cracked relations with Emmanuel Macron’s government and led to the suspension of relocations.

After not even a month in office, the most right-wing executive in republican history has already been forced to accept that not respecting European conventions is never a good idea, even if the leader of the Brothers of Italy seems to think differently.

Thus the tug-of-war over the landing of migrants rescued at sea by the Ocean Viking ship is twisted against the Prime Ministeraccused by the French Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, of “lack of listening and professionalism“ as reported Le Figaro. In fact, although France and Germany had offered Italy to welcome two thirds of the migrants on board the ship, once they landed in Sicily, the Italian government has not even replied to his partners, continuing to refuse disembarkation, despite the presence of minors and sick people on board.

A considered choice “incomprehensible” from Paris and that triggered predictable consequences. After having accepted, as an exception, the Ocean Viking and her shipwrecked people in the port of Toulon, the French authorities have addressed a hard appeal to the various European countries, announcing the suspension of the relocation agreement with Italy and inviting other member states to do the same.

“It is clear that with immediate effect France suspends all the relocations of 3,500 refugees to the benefit of Italy and asks all the other participants in the European Mechanism, in particular Germany, to do the same “ Darmanin stated in one Press conference in which he also announced the strengthening of border controls with Italy. “There will be consequences extremely strong in bilateral relations “he added, arguing what the “Italian government to lose us”.