How and why even Forza Italia is not tender with France on migrants
Moods and comments in the center-right majority on France, the EU and the migrant dossier. Sacchi's note
Antonio Tajani, foreign minister, deputy prime minister and blue coordinator, speaks of the need for "reasonableness and common sense" to settle the crisis with France, which however does not give up and now dismisses Italy as a "loser", with tones bordering on the contempt.
But Tajani, whose diplomatic premise is extrapolated, is no less firm than Giorgia Meloni, the other Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, Minister of Infrastructure with responsibility for ports – with whom a certain media narrative puts him in contrast -, Matteo Piantedosi , Minister of the Interior, and Guido Crosetto, head of Defence. These are the ministers who signed the interministerial provision for NGOs to respond to the countries whose flag they fly, the countries that should examine the request of migrants. And speaking of NGOs, Tajani denounces: "It is not possible that a part of them decides migration policy". And again: "It is not written anywhere that Italy is the only safe port, the only entrance from the Mediterranean". He therefore calls on the foreign minister to take responsibility for all of Europe. And he stresses a Marshall Plan for Africa. Something another prominent blue also talks about, the vice president of the Chamber, Giorgio Mulè, who first of all, rejecting France's accusations, in an interview with la Repubblica , expressed some reservations about the method of our initial approach to the matter.
The group leader of FI in the Senate, Licia Ronzulli, recalls the agreements that Silvio Berlusconi made as premier with the countries bordering the Mediterranean. Where, according to Meloni, hot spots should be opened to examine requests. Because if the only landing point is Italy, Tajani reminded yesterday to "Mezzorainpiù" by Lucia Anninziata, "we are always the ones who have to take charge of the long period of time between the request and the placement".
Diplomacy but also firmness at the same time of a centre-right which declines the crisis with different nuances, but united on the same objective: to break the trafficking of human beings, to ensure that all of Europe assumes its responsibilities in welcoming. Salvini announces: “Close in sight: fines, seizures and more checks. The government is ready to strike hard on landings”, writes the deputy prime minister and minister of infrastructure on social media, adding “Whoever makes a mistake pays. So good".
Harsh tones, but Tajani himself, head of our diplomacy, observes that "we weren't the ones who started the crisis" and wonders if "French internal political reasons" did not weigh rather. Tajani in the diplomatic effort is also helped by the precious support for the Italian reasons of the president of the EPP Manfred Weber, of which he is deputy. He also reaffirms "the role of guarantee of FI, which is the EPP in Italy, for the whole executive", to which Weber had given his endorsement. Stefania Craxi (FI), president of the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Commission, underlines: "We need a European strategy and collective responsibility".
At the same time, the story cannot have a single voice, since in addition to Prime Minister Meloni, there are more ministers involved in the matter, so it would be bizarre that the only one who does not speak, according to certain media narratives and members of the opposition, should be precisely Salvini, the former interior minister, who reduced the landings and took some trials, including the Open Arms one in progress. In addition, paradoxically, he was unable to return to the leadership of the Interior Ministry precisely because the trials were considered an obstacle to his second term. Events for which the affirmation of a public prosecutor in Palamara is famous who essentially said in an interception that he was right but he had to be blamed.
Be that as it may, France, with the government spokesman, does not give up and the government is firm in defending its reasons. Tajani will do so in the context of taking responsibility for the entire EU at the European Council of Foreign Ministers. And the Minister of European Affairs with responsibility for the Pnrr , Raffaele Fitto (FdI), a former blue of DC origin, clearly says that if measures are not taken by the EU, "Italy will do it alone", with respect to the measures to be taken on a regulation of NGOs, so that they do not dictate migration policy.
"Disproportionate" reaction Tajani reiterated even in the face of certain tones of his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, who after accusing Italy of violating international law, also added that there "could be consequences".
It does not appear at the moment that there is a meeting between Meloni and Emmanuel Macron in Bali. Instead, the bilateral agreement with the US president, Joe Biden, was confirmed.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/centrodestra-francia-migranti/ on Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:16:40 +0000.