Italian Prime Minister Meloni calls for protecting EU borders to preserve Schengen
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said during a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Rome that the Schengen area can only be preserved if the European Union’s external borders are protected. This was reported by Anadolu Agency, citing ANSA.
Migration and external borders
Meloni stressed that all EU member states must continue combating migrant smugglers and mass illegal migration. She also said that Italy and Belgium discussed managing migration flows after a “very intense” summer, which once again raised the question of Europe’s ability to respond to such crises.
According to the Italian prime minister, more effective interpretation and implementation of international conventions are also needed. For his part, Bart De Wever said there was a need to make Europe stronger in an increasingly complex world and called for improving the management of migration and asylum. He added that Europe can establish a common framework in the field of defense.
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Energy and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz
Meloni noted that the upcoming European Council meeting should consider competitiveness and energy costs. She pointed to the impact of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz on the prices of fuel, fertilizers and raw materials, as well as its burden on economic and social systems.
The statements came after around 72,000 people irregularly crossed the route from Morocco to Ceuta, a Spanish enclave, on July 30–31. According to an official assessment by the Spanish government, approximately 5,000 of them remained in Ceuta, whose population is about 80,000 people. A group of 22 EU countries said in an open letter that Spain’s relatively open migration policy had become a factor attracting migrants.
