Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said at a year-end press conference that the EU’s new deal on migration was “better than the previous one”, but added that it was “not a solution” in the long term.
Meloni said the EU “will not solve the migration problem by trying to control migrants only when they arrive.”
“There is work to be done in advance,” Meloni added, stressing that Italy cannot do it alone.
“Everyone in the G7 [states] And Europe in particular has to think about Africa, a continent that has the potential to become very wealthy but is a victim of destabilization,” concluded Meloni.
Concerns about suspected increase in crime
While he welcomed the fact that under the new deal there are “significant mechanisms to oblige other countries to redistribute,” he stressed that more needs to be done. In particular, she maintained that the rise in crime in Italy by illegal immigrants remains a concern.
“We believe that we have to be resolute. Coming here is a free choice. Every culture has added value, but if you live in Italy you have to go beyond the regulations of the Italian state, which you have to abide by. I can’t,” she said. ”
“At the regulatory level, the country in which they live should be followed,” Meloni added.
“If you ask yourself if you’re happy, you’d say no for now,” she says.
increasing number of arrivals
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Meloni’s words were mindful of Italy’s failure to reduce the number of irregular migrants in 2023.
“The number of arrivals this year certainly does not correspond to the goals of the political measures that the government has introduced in various directions to combat and defeat human trafficking,” Piantedosi told the Italian newspaper. La Stampa.
More than 155,750 people arrived in Italy by sea in 2023, Piantedosi said, citing ministry data.
This represents an increase of nearly 50% over the previous year, when an estimated 105,000 people arrived.