Ursula von der Leyen arrived, welcomed Giorgia Meloni, toured Lampedusa with her and explained her “10-point action plan” to combat “the organized crime of human traffickers” and “end immigration”.
The President of the European Commission was able to check on site the level of immigration saturation on an island whose population has doubled due to the constant landing of refugees.
In a warm atmosphere in which the Italian Prime Minister addressed the President of the Commission as “Úrsula” and she as “Úrsula”. “Georgia”, the two women broke down the current scenario and put the cards for a virtual solution on the table.
Von der Leyen assumed that “the challenge of immigration is European” and proposed, among other things, a “tightening of legislation,” an attack on “organized crime gangs that traffic in human lives,” and a “strengthening of cooperation at all levels ” and an increase in surveillance “by land, more and in the air” in the Mediterranean.
Meloni insisted that “the only serious way to end this situation is to help the countries of origin,” for which he had held discussions with the IMF some time ago.
The President of the Commission expressed her “solidarity and responsibility” towards Italy and respect for its borders. “The problem is global. It would be a mistake not to understand it that way. “It affects everyone,” he repeated.
The Italian Prime Minister, overwhelmed by an endless scenario, warned: “The future of Europe depends on the ability to solve the immigration problem” and the President of the Commission “is aware of this… A definitive solution is needed.” There is a part of Europe that understands this, but another part remains on the sidelines for ideological reasons. “We have to work together,” he emphasized.
In fact, von der Leyen did not skimp on words and statements in which she acknowledged the seriousness of the matter. “We will not solve the problem if we ask ourselves how to distribute immigrants in Italy or Europe, because that way we will never solve the problem.” “We have to stop illegal immigration.”
Once the diagnosis was made, the solution was missing: “We propose to work with the countries of North Africa to prevent the immigration tragedy” and to put an end to “human traffickers in the Mediterranean.” To achieve this, he announced, as requested by Meloni, “an effective European naval mission,” among other overall decisions.
North Africa
“Agree with the North African countries and with the Mediterranean countries to combat illegal immigration!” with the “incorporation of effective return mechanisms”.
Von der Leyen stated in her speech: “The challenge of illegal immigration is a challenge for Europe and requires a European response.” He also emphasized Lampedusa’s solidarity and acknowledged that the island is suffering from uncontrolled illegal immigration due to its proximity to Africa Immigration suffers.
More flexible repatriation
“We will decide who comes to Europe and under what circumstances, not through the decision of the traffickers,” he stressed. To this end, he proposed “expelling illegal immigrants from Lampedusa and strengthening border and document controls.” Regarding cooperation with the countries of origin of immigrants, he announced that the EU Commissioner “Margaritis Schinas” would speak to the governments of the countries from which the largest influx of these immigrants come and announced a tightening of legislation, he said The laws against Traffickers need further change.
The unpleasant question to the Commission President highlighted what the EU was not clear about before its visit to Lampedusa and what part of the agreements was not understood, so it is now defending them before they were not fulfilled.
“We have excellent cooperation with Italy,” he emphasized, after “explaining the solutions we can offer” in a process.
Apart from the decalogue of measures that the other EU countries agreed to comply with, V. von der Leyen particularly denounced organized crime’s business with people: “Human traffickers earn millions and millions by lying and cheating people “Their lives are in danger,” he lamented.
