The Prime Ministers of Italy and Poland have called on the European Union (EU) on Wednesday to prioritize stopping illegal migration and strengthening external borders, rather than attempts to impose a quota system for the admission of migrants to the 27 member states of the bloc.
The Prime Ministers of Italy and Poland have called on the European Union (EU) on Wednesday to prioritize stopping illegal migration and strengthening external borders, rather than attempts to impose a quota system for the admission of migrants to the 27 member states of the bloc.
The Prime Minister of Italy and the leader of the national conservative party “Fratelli d’Italia” (“Brothers of Italy”) Giorgia Meloni met with the Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki during her visit to Warsaw today. Italy, which is one of the first stops for illegal immigrants who cross the Mediterranean in an attempt to reach Europe, wants to see the flow stopped.
Poland and Hungary last week vetoed a statement by EU leaders on priorities for limiting the number of immigrants, and both countries voted against the June 8 agreement on the so-called mandatory solidarity mechanism, which provides for the redistribution of illegally entered asylum seekers among member states.
The so-called migration pact stipulates that the member states that reject the determined quotas of asylum seekers to be accepted will have to provide financial support for the maintenance of the mechanism – 20,000 euros for each of the asylum seekers not accepted.
On the other hand, Warsaw and Budapest believe that a more sensible approach would be to prevent the entry of illegal aliens into the EU.
After the talks with Moravecki, Meloni admitted that, in her opinion, the bloc will never be able to “find a real solution” to the situation when migrants have already entered Europe. “I believe that our position is essentially similar. We want to stop illegal immigration,” Meloni emphasized. Regarding the Polish government’s position, she added: “I cannot help but support someone who defends national interests.”
Moraveckis stated that it is essential for his government that the EU’s external borders are strengthened, and added that the government does not support the idea of financially penalizing member states that refuse to accept asylum seekers in accordance with the imposed quotas.
Poland has taken in millions of war refugees from Ukraine, of whom about 1.2 million have registered in Poland and received the right to live, work, attend school and receive social benefits.
Moravecki announced that the government will hold a referendum this year in which Poles will be asked to express their opinion on the reception of illegal migrants. Poland’s ruling national conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party has proposed amending Poland’s electoral law to allow the referendum to be held at the same time as the next parliamentary elections, due in the fall.
Regional security was also on the agenda of Moravecki and Meloni’s talks, given the Russian war in Ukraine and Kyiv’s desire to receive security guarantees from NATO. It has already been reported that a summit of NATO member states is planned for next week in Lithuania.
The two leaders also spoke at a meeting of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group of the European Parliament.
