Meloni and his allies call for “innovative solutions” to speed up deportations

Meloni and his allies have demanded “innovative solutions” aimed at facilitating the deportation of irregular immigrants, as well as “stricter” European legislation on immigration matters, according to the Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoofat the end of the meeting. The term “innovative solutions” is the new euphemism used by these countries to refer to the creation of migrant holding centers outside the European Union, copying the model of the agreement of Meloni’s Italy with Albania.

Although he was invited, the German chancellor, the socialist Olaf Scholzhas declined to attend the Meloni counter-summit and has declared himself skeptical about the effectiveness of these migrant detention centers. “If you look at the figures, it is clear that these types of concepts only represent a small drop (in the ocean), They are not really the solution for a country as big as Germany“said Scholz upon his arrival at the European Council.

Albania’s migrant centers have a maximum capacity of 3,000 people, while Germany received 300,000 asylum seekers last year, he noted. In any case, the chancellor – who has considerably hardened his tone after the latest attacks in Germany and the rise of the extreme right in regional elections – has insisted on the need to “reduce irregular immigration” and increase the effectiveness of deportations. “Criminals must be returned. Immigration must be made possible, protection given to those who need it, but not everyone can come,” he said.

The President of the Government, Pedro Sanchezwho belongs to the same political family as Scholz, had been erased from Meloni’s counter-summit beforehand because he rejects his “innovative solutions” against migration. Sánchez has avoided speaking to the press to explain his decision. Neither does the French president, Emmanuel Macronhas attended the meeting, although his new prime minister, Michel Barnieralso supports a hard line against migration.

The Danish Prime Minister, also a socialist Mette Frederiksenhas declared herself “very satisfied” that more and more Member States support the hard line against migration that she has always defended. “No one thinks that people flee for fun, and we have many wars and conflicts. But we cannot continue bringing so many people to Europe,” Frederiksen said.

Both she and the leaders of the Baltic countries have expressed their support for the Polish prime minister, Donald Tuskof the European People’s Party, which has announced the suspension of the right to asylum due to the attacks that its country is suffering from Russia and Belarus using migrants as weapons.

“It is not about suspending the right to asylum, but rather about temporarily and territorially suspending the acceptance of applications when crossing illegally, by force, on the border between Poland and Belarus. And everyone here understands it,” said Tusk upon his arrival at the European Council.

The Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpoalthough he did not participate in the Meloni mini-summit, defended that Europe must “strengthen its border security by building infrastructure such as border fences.” “We need European legislation against migratory instrumentalization,” he said, referring to the case of Russia and Belarus.

For his part, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakishas also highlighted that more and more countries support a “tough” but “fair” immigration policy. “The Migration and Asylum Pact does not address the issue of returns. We cannot accept the fact that we are not effective in dealing with those who are not entitled to EU protection status,” Mitsotakis insisted.