Scholz and Meloni’s clamp leaves Sánchez out of the game as the EU toughens the fight against irregular migration

In contrast, Sánchez has openly rejected the creation of migrant detention or deportation centers outside the territory of the European Union – following the model of the agreement between Meloni and Albania. “They are formulas that do not address any of the problems and create new ones.“, he alleges. Instead, the President of the Government defends bringing forward the entry into force of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum to 2025 (one year earlier than planned). He has also demanded that Frontex sign agreements with Senegal and Mauritania to patrol in African waters, as well as an increase in the allocation for migration in the EU budget.

Despite defending a diametrically opposite position, Sanchez did not want to veto the text of conclusions of the European Councilwhich does reflect the shift towards a more punitive and restrictive line in immigration matters. The heads of State and Government have called for “considering new paths to prevent and combat irregular migration.” This term is the new euphemism to refer to detention centers for non-EU migrants. Von der Leyen herself has confirmed that leaders have talked about these deportation camps.

The president of the Commission has also supported expand the list of countries considered safe to return irregular migrants or even asylum seekers. Italy and Austria want to include Syria and Afghanistan. “Austria has been trying for a year to reach an agreement that would allow people to be repatriated to Syria. Likewise, in the future we must strive to include Afghanistan in the safe zones,” said the Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer. He alleges that Syrian refugees are returning to Syria from Lebanon and the Lebanese themselves are going to Syria because it is safer there than Lebanon.

Also the German chancellor, Olaf Scholzhas defended deporting convicted Afghan criminals to Afghanistan, as his own government did in August. Germany has tightened its immigration policy and reintroduced controls at all borders following the latest terrorist attacks and the rise of the extreme right. Although he was invited, Scholz did not ultimately participate in the migration mini-summit convened by Meloni before the start of the European Council and has declared himself skeptical about the effectiveness of migrant detention centers because “they are not the solution for a country as large as Germany.” “. But he has insisted on the need to “reduce irregular immigration” and increase the effectiveness of deportations.

“The European Council calls for determined action at all levels to facilitate, increase and accelerate returns (deportations) from the EU, using all relevant EU tools, instruments and policies, including diplomacy, development aid, trade and visas,” read the conclusions of the summit, which have also been signed by Pedro Sánchez himself. European leaders have also given the green light to the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tuskto take “appropriate measures” in order to counter the attacks of Russia and Belarus by launching migrants against its border.

Other socialist prime ministers have attended Meloni’s immigration mini-summit, such as the Danish Mette Frederiksen (who was in fact one of the co-organisers) or the Maltese Robert Abela. There were also the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Greece, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Frederiksen She 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 run away for fun, and we have a lot of wars and conflicts. But we cannot continue bringing so many people to Europe“he said.

In contrast, Sánchez has defended in the European Council an approach to the migratory phenomenon in a positive way”. “It is evident that if we want to face the European demographic challenge, if we want to guarantee the sustainability of our pensions and the welfare state, also guarantee the economic growth that Spain or Europe as a whole has right now, we also need the contribution of migration “, alleges the President of the Government.